Northern Ireland Assembly, 9 September 2024

344 contributions from 65 members. The official report.

Matter of the Day

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Claire Sugden has been given leave to make a statement on Northern Ireland athletes at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, which fulfils the criteria set out in Standing Order 24. If other Members wish to be called, they should indicate that by rising in their place and continuing to do so. All Members who are called will have up to three minutes to speak on the subject. I remind you that there will be no interventions or points of order during this item of business.

Claire Sugden (Independent, East Londonderry)

This is the first opportunity for the House to acknowledge and congratulate the success of athletes from Northern Ireland at the Paris Olympic Games 2024. Their performances not only brought immense pride to our region but inspired a generation of young athletes across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Northern Ireland, as a small part of these islands, has once again demonstrated that size is no barrier to greatness. The achievements of our athletes reflect not only their hard work, dedication and talent but the resilience, passion and spirit that characterise the people of Northern Ireland.

All Olympians and Paralympians from Northern Ireland, representing either Team GB and Northern Ireland or Team Ireland, should be incredibly proud of their achievements. They represent the Northern Ireland born from the Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland in which I want to live and raise my children. Yet again, Northern Ireland has proven itself on the world stage. Prior to the games, only three athletes from Northern Ireland had ever won an Olympic medal, including our forever golden girl and lifetime ambassador, Lady Mary Peters, in 1972. However, this summer, four golds, one silver and two bronze have come home. Seven medals demonstrate the talent that exists here, but also the strong belief in the ability of our young people, from their coaches and local clubs, to be the best in the world. As a Government — as a Parliament — we must advocate, nurture and adequately fund sport in Northern Ireland so that more talent finds its rightful place on the world stage.

Let us all in the House join in congratulating our Olympic heroes: Daniel Wiffen, Jack McMillan, Hannah Scott, Rhys McClenaghan, Rebecca Shorten and Philip Doyle. They are inspirational young people who will be lifelong ambassadors for Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and Ireland. I make special mention of Hannah Scott.

I have known Hannah and her family for a number of years. I have watched as she has grown within the nurturing environment of Bann Rowing Club. She has brought the fourth medal home to that club and to Coleraine. It was an absolute delight to see the people of Coleraine gather in the town centre to cheer Hannah on. It was a nail-biting finish, and we all screamed and cheered when she got over that line. She put in a performance that was second to none and had everyone on the edge of their seat.

I look forward to supporting these athletes as they continue on their sporting journeys, and I eagerly anticipate greater success for them and for other Northern Ireland athletes in the years to come.

Aisling Reilly (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

I thank the Member for bringing this matter to the House today. Our Olympic and Paralympic athletes serve as powerful role models who embody not only resilience but determination and excellence. Their achievements transcend sport and show people of all abilities that greatness is defined not by limitations but by perseverance and heart. By showcasing their incredible feats, they not only inspire future generations to push past barriers but change perceptions of disability on a global scale. The legacy that they will leave after these games is one of hope, demonstrating that, with the right mindset, anything is possible. Seeing these athletes compete over the past couple of weeks and months will foster inclusion and empower individuals to pursue their dreams, regardless of any obstacles that they face. The years of training, dedication and sacrifice, for not only the athletes but their families, to get to that stage is truly immense.

I know that preparation for LA in 2028 is under way. As public representatives, we should strive for the investment in our local sporting facilities and infrastructure that our communities deserve, because we have to ensure the continued success of our local sporting heroes on the world stage. I congratulate all the athletes and wish them the very best. Along with your clubs, your families and your coaches, we all support you. We are all behind you, and we are very proud of your achievements. Ádh mór libh uilig.

[Translation: Good luck to you all.]

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

It is an honour to congratulate all those from Northern Ireland who represented us with great success at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Their success was at a level that we have never seen before. Prior to the games, just three athletes from Northern Ireland had ever won a gold medal, yet, this time, in one Olympic Games, we had four gold medal winners: Rhys McClenaghan, Hannah Scott, Jack McMillan and Daniel Wiffen. There was also a silver medal for Rebecca Shorten, and two bronze medals for Daniel Wiffen and Philip Doyle. Indeed, Hannah Scott, at the age of 25, became the first woman from Northern Ireland to win an Olympic gold since our golden girl, Lady Mary Peters, in 1972. The athletes' success has filled us all with great pride. It is to their credit and that of their coaches and families and those who have supported them in sports clubs, with many sacrifices made over many years.

Nine athletes and two guides from Northern Ireland participated across six sports in the Paralympic Games. Londonderry twins Chloe and Judith MacCombe completed their triathlon event, finishing sixth and eighth respectively. Last week, Deaten Registe from Dungannon finished sixth in his first Paralympic final, the SB14 100 metres breaststroke, with a personal best of 1:07:82. We congratulate them. They have made us proud this summer. We have never had this level of success, and the Assembly is united in saying, "Well done. You have done Northern Ireland proud".

Nick Mathison (Alliance, Strangford)

I thank the Member for bringing this Matter of the Day to the Floor. It is absolutely appropriate that we should start our business today by paying tribute to our athletes and their achievements in the Olympics and Paralympics. Members have already listed how successful our athletes from across Northern Ireland were in those events.

I reference in particular how proud I was to see the achievements of Newtownards athlete, Rhys McClenaghan, who won gold on the pommel horse in such spectacular fashion. Speaking afterwards, Rhys referred to it as the culmination of a 10-year plan. It was 10 years of work from his youth when a coach picked up on his talent and believed in him, and the two of them were prepared to put that work in to culminate in that achievement. It was truly inspirational. Gathering in Newtownards after the success, people of all ages came together to celebrate. I must say that it was one of the most positive evenings that we have ever seen in the town, and I look forward to seeing what Rhys achieves in the years to come.

I also pay tribute to his coach, Luke, who believed in Rhys and put the work in with him. He has also committed to making the leisure centre in the town of Newtownards a centre of excellence for gymnastics, as well as an open and accessible space for aspiring gymnasts of all ages to come and learn from a gold medal winner.

We were very sad that Portaferry's own Ciara Mageean was not able to compete in the games due to injury. I have no doubt that had she competed, we would have been celebrating her success with medals coming home as well. We wish her all the very best for her recovery and hope to see her in four years' time bringing medals back to Strangford again.

Andy Allen (UUP, Belfast East)

I welcome the opportunity to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Northern Ireland athletes at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. Our athletes have once gain proven that Northern Ireland, although small in size, is mighty in spirit and determination. The relentless dedication, discipline and unwavering commitment has shone brightly on the world stage, inspiring us all. The games have been a celebration of their successes and a testament to the power of community and teamwork. Behind every medal, personal best and triumph is a story of resilience, hard work and a strong support system that has fuelled the journey of our athletes.

We must continue championing our athletes as they build on those successes and pave the way for the next generation. Their achievements remind us that, with determination, anything is possible. Northern Ireland stands tall, proud and ready for even greater victories to come. On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, I extend our best wishes for their successes as we follow them from here onward.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communiter: Faster, higher, stronger — together. Wow, the success of our Olympians in Paris has been nothing short of extraordinary. The passion, grit, determination and conviction of our local competitors has been matched only by the pride of their families and local communities. It was inspiring to see communities rally behind all our local competitors, irrespective of whether they represented Team Ireland or Team GB. It is vital for all of us in the Chamber today to do more than just join a celebratory chorus. Sporting excellence in our local community is on full display after the record medal haul, and I believe that it is incumbent on us to seize on that momentum and harness those opportunities. That is why I have asked the Communities Minister to engage directly with the Irish Government on how to harness the full potential of their recent announcement of a €400 million investment in sports and infrastructure. Sport can take us all and make us all faster, higher, stronger and bring us together.

With 13 medals having made their way back to the island of Ireland, it is abundantly clear that we, as a people, punch well above our weight on the international stage. I commend the Minister on having a joint ceremony here for the Paralympians and Olympians, which would be a wonderful festival of sport in this place. The best way that the Assembly can celebrate the success of our Paris Olympians is to lay the foundation of success for future generations who have been inspired by the success of our local champions.

I will give an honourable call-out to our Armagh man Daniel Wiffen and the joy that he brought on top of the orange pride that we already experienced with the All-Ireland success.

Harry Harvey (DUP, Strangford)

The Paris Olympics 2024 will go down in history for Northern Ireland, with 41 athletes competing — 10 from the Strangford constituency. We congratulate all who participated in the games, particularly the seven who brought home medals: four gold, two silver and a bronze.

This afternoon, I especially congratulate Rhys McClenaghan from Newtownards on his outstanding performance in Paris, winning a gold medal in the pommel horse event. That is an amazing achievement for this young man. He has faced disappointments throughout his career, but his determination allowed him to realise his dream this summer. Rhys is now recognised as one of the pommel horse specialists of his generation. Ards and North Down Borough Council organised a fabulous afternoon and evening in Conway Square, where Rhys and fellow medallist Jack McMillan from Bangor arrived in style in a 1965 Ford Mustang convertible. They were welcomed back to the borough by phenomenal crowds of well-wishers. The local people enjoyed being able to personally congratulate Rhys on his success, and he stated afterwards that he was overwhelmed by the support from the people of Newtownards.

I also congratulate all those from Northern Ireland who took part in the Paralympics, and especially Barry McClements, who is also from Newtownards, on his outstanding performance in the pool. What an achievement for Newtownards and the Strangford constituency, with those outstanding athletes representing them in world-class sporting events and setting an example for other young people to reach for their dreams and work hard to achieve them.

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

As the third Strangford MLA to speak, I too congratulate all our Olympians and Paralympians, particularly Rhys McClenaghan and Barry McClements. They have done the area so proud. I remember watching the television when Rhys was waiting to find out, after the last person had used the pommel horse, whether he had won his gold medal. I was in tears along with him. Congratulations, Rhys. For those who are not involved in sport to see him achieve something that is so amazing is fantastic.

We always talk about the Olympians. As someone who is so invested in disability, I pay tribute to our Paralympians. I recognise Claire Taggart in boccia — what a match. We had Barry McClements, Dearbhaile Brady and Deaten Registe swimming in Paris. In the paratriathlon, we had Chloe and Judith MacCombe, with Catherine Sands and Eimear Nicholls. In wheelchair basketball, we had Katie Morrow — fantastic. In paradressage, we had Jessica McKenna. Finally, we had wheelchair rugby player David Ross. They are an amazing group of Paralympians. I cannot wait to see them when they come to the House and celebrate with the Minister for Communities.

Speaking of communities, I think that now is the time, as others have said, when we need to look at investment in grassroots sports, so that the young people who are coming forward, who are looking at Rhys, Barry, Eimear and all those athletes, think, "I can do that too. I could be at the next Olympics or Paralympics, like they have been". Investment in grassroots sport to help people to become premier in their sporting field would be amazing.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

I have been listening with great interest to the praise — the deserved praise — that is being heaped on our Olympic and Paralympic athletes and their great successes in Paris over the summer, particularly those who have joined our gold medal winners. I note that we are crediting only three previous gold medallists — Lady Mary Peters, and Jimmy Kirkwood and Stephen Martin for hockey — but we have four. We have a fourth. The first was Robin Dixon, who won a gold medal in the two-man bobsleigh event at the Winter Olympics. It is likened to someone winning a gold medal for swimming with no access to a swimming pool. Let us put him on record: Robin Dixon, our first Olympic gold medallist.

Cara Hunter (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

I, too, rise to congratulate and share my admiration for all those members of Team GB and Team Ireland who have been at the Olympic and Paralympic Games from our shared home place, particularly Hannah Scott from Coleraine and Dearbhaile Brady from Feeny in my constituency.

Dearbhaile made her Paralympic debut in swimming. She is a 16-year-old who is involved in Limavady Amateur Swimming Club. All who won are incredibly inspiring, but those two young women in particular show what can be achieved through hard work, dedication and commitment. They are two incredible women in sport, which is something that I love to see. They are two capable, fierce young ladies of my constituency, and they are truly inspiring. They show that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Some of the key points that have echoed around the Chamber today were about the dire need to invest in sport. You will often see online GoFundMe accounts being used to try to get our athletes to events: that is shameful. We should support and endorse them and do all we can to fund them. That will encourage more young people to get into sport.

With regard to rowing in my constituency, I recently spoke with Glen, one of the coaches at the historic Bann Rowing Club, Coleraine. We talked about the importance of sport to young people and of ensuring that every child has equal opportunity to take part in sport. The importance of investment in sport is to ensure that every child, regardless of background or family income, has every right and opportunity to partake in sporting activities.

I say to our Olympians and Paralympians: thank you so much for going out there and doing us all proud. We have to ensure that we invest in our young people for tomorrow.

Gary Middleton (DUP, Foyle)

I join Members across the Chamber and everyone across Northern Ireland in congratulating our Olympians and Paralympians. There is not a place in Northern Ireland has not been touched by the fantastic achievements of our athletes, by the dedication that they have put into their training and by all those involved behind the scenes. Today, however, I make particular mention of the remarkably talented tandem twins from Claudy, para athletes Judith and Chloe MacCombe. I hope that all Members will join me in congratulating those dedicated and talented Northern Irish athletes.

Judith and Chloe come from Claudy. They are fantastic young women who are visually impaired athletes and compete at the top of their game across many competitions, not least, most recently, the Paris Paralympics. The young women were born with a form of albinism, which meant that Chloe and Judith have grown up with visual impairment, but they have proved to be a real inspiration for us all in the north-west and, indeed, across Northern Ireland.

Chloe and Judith were originally pararowers. Later, on being approached by Triathlon Ireland, they became paratriathletes. It seems like nothing can stop Chloe and Judith, and long may that continue. We are so proud of their performances at the Paralympics, with Chloe placing sixth and Judith placing eighth: an incredible achievement for those two local girls.

Chloe and Judith are a perfect example of what our young people can achieve and are achieving. Their hard work and training and their kind and humble natures are things that we can look upon with pride in their achievement. Notably, they always ensure that they witness their Christian faith, putting God first in everything that they do and always giving God the glory.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your indulgence in letting me speak. I apologise for not being in the Chamber for the beginning of the statement.

I thank the great Larne Swimming Club and, in particular, Danielle Hill and Daniel Wiffen for the impact that they have made in their communities, particularly in swimming and bringing young people towards sport. I declare an interest: my youngest daughter swims with Larne Swimming Club. Although it is in a neighbouring constituency, I am a great supporter of Larne and everything that it tries to do.

The most interesting thing is the enthusiasm that young people now have for sports such as swimming. If they see somebody who is like themselves taking part in any athletic activity, it encourages them to get involved. I was heartened recently when — you will not believe this — I was in the gym with a fellow MLA. The reason I was there was that so many young people were swimming and taking up swimming lessons because they had seen the examples of Danielle Hill and Daniel Wiffen pushing through.

I also thank all the supporters of Larne Swimming Club and all the people who have turned out in order to make sure that those young people are given every support. It is a great success story for Northern Ireland and Ireland and for Team GB and NI, and we should celebrate such things. Mr Speaker, thank you for your indulgence.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

I thank Claire for tabling the Matter of the Day. We can all celebrate and be proud of the success of Northern Ireland's athletes. To have won only three gold medals in the history of the summer Olympics and then to win four along with a silver and two bronze medals is remarkable. I congratulate all those from Northern Ireland who competed for Team GB or Team Ireland. One hopes that their remarkable success acts as a catalyst to inspire many budding athletes to achieve Olympic glory in the years ahead.

I will, however, highlight an equality issue that comes from the Olympics. In December 2013, an independent working group that the then sports Minister established identified serious issues in boxing and highlighted examples of sectarianism and racism. A key finding of the report was that boxers from Northern Ireland should have the option, under the terms of the Belfast Agreement, of aiming to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games and other international tournaments. I regret the fact that, 11 years on, no progress has been made on that and that, when it comes to boxing and a number of other sports, no route is open for an athlete to compete under the Union flag on the world's biggest sporting stage. That is a scandal. Something that was identified in a 2013 report should have been dealt with years ago. As we celebrate our athletes' success, I urge the Minister to do what he can to get belated movement on the issue.

Mr Speaker, if you will indulge me for a moment, I will remind the House that it was because of the courageous stand taken by Sandy Row Boxing Club, which is in your constituency, that those issues came to light. Sadly, as things stand today, the club faces the prospect of ceasing to operate after more than a quarter of a century in the working-class heartland of south Belfast. Again, I urge the Minister to do all that he can on that.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Members, that is a positive way to start the new season. Thank you for that.

Members' Statements

Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

I take the opportunity to speak about dynamic pricing. As you know, that is the practice by which the market value of tickets and products rapidly increases with demand. Last Saturday morning, along with thousands of other Oasis fans, I logged on at 7.30 to try to get tickets for the gig. I started at number 58,516 in the queue, and, by 10.30 am, three hours later, I had managed to get to number one. When I thought that it was my moment to get the coveted tickets, I was faced with the choice of — again, this happened not just to me; it happened to thousands of other fans — standing tickets in the range of €420 to €574 or seated tickets going from €542 to €574. A lot of fans here and across the water in Britain are very frustrated. It has left a bad taste in people's mouth. Indeed, the president of my party, Mary Lou McDonald, has called it out, saying that it has had a disproportionate impact on working-class people, who can least afford to pay for such tickets, especially given that the support base for Oasis in Ireland and Britain is mostly in working-class communities.

That unfair practice needs to stop. Consumers need to know the price ranges when an event is advertised, know that they are fixed and know that everyone has a fair chance to buy a ticket. Basically, the practice needs to end. I welcome the fact that the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating dynamic pricing in relation to the Oasis concert. You will all have received correspondence from the CMA in recent days. The investigation is looking at whether unfair commercial practices took place, whether people were given clear and timely information to explain that tickets could be subject to so-called dynamic pricing and whether they felt under pressure to buy tickets at short notice at a higher price than they understood they would be.

As part of the investigation, the CMA invites people who bought or attempted to buy tickets to share their views with it. That could involve sharing, for example, screen grabs or any information that they might have. The important thing is that the window for submitting that information and participating in the investigation is between 5 and 19 September, which is 10 days from today.

I take the opportunity and the platform in the Assembly to call on anyone who is listening in or watching or is in the Chamber and was impacted by that practice to have their say and to share their experiences with the CMA on its website. It takes only a few minutes. Hopefully, by taking part in the CMA investigation, the public and especially those affected can help to bring the unfair practice of dynamic pricing to an end.

Jonathan Buckley (DUP, Upper Bann)

This summer brought about a new Labour Government after 14 years of Conservative rule. We were all promised and it was heralded that the Labour Government would be honest, progressive and compassionate. They were to be a big contrast with what went before. How does that stack up when we look at actions such as the disgraceful attempts by the Labour Government to remove the winter fuel payment from 10 million pensioners across the United Kingdom? To put that in perspective, of the 306,000 pensioners in Northern Ireland, over 250,000 will lose the winter fuel payment. They are pensioners who have worked hard all their lives, built up pensions and held their own homes. They are genuinely concerned and worried as to what the winter will look like.

It says a lot about a Labour Government and what their priorities will be when their first action is to cut the fuel payment for those vulnerable, low-income pensioners. I am not talking about the millionaires, as some want to divert to quite often; I am talking about those who are on a low income and see the challenges that this will bring not only to them but to their well-being and family. It talks about priorities when you do something like that, rather than attempt to address some of the severe structural issues in finance across the United Kingdom. It ducks real issues.

Labour wants to pick the pockets of pensioners whilst, with the same hand, dishing out over £11 billion in foreign aid in relation to climate. Labour would rather target low-income families than address the ridiculous situation of over £8 million a day being spent in this country to house asylum seekers in hotels. Labour would rather cut pensioners' fuel payments than, as a first point of call, recoup or attempt to recoup over £2 billion that was lost in benefit fraud in the last financial year.

I urge the Government to do a U-turn. There is no shame: this is wrong.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

The Member's time is up.

Jonathan Buckley (DUP, Upper Bann)

I urge colleagues in this place to do likewise.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

The Member should take his seat.

Danny Donnelly (Alliance, East Antrim)

I rise to congratulate Larne Football Club. You will be aware that it recently became the first team from Northern Ireland to qualify for the knockout stages of a European tournament. That is an historic achievement for the town club and for football in Northern Ireland. Over the last few years, Larne has not only won the Irish League title but retained it, and it is now a contender in the knockout stages of a European competition. The club has a huge dream ahead. Those are huge achievements in the club's 130-plus years' history.

As anyone who knows me will attest, I am not much of a football fan, but I have attended several matches with people who are fans, and I can say that the atmosphere is fantastic. There is a real sense of pride in the team and hope for the future. Families and children decked out in Larne gear cheer on the team for the duration of the matches. There is a real buzz about the town on match days.

The team is involved in many local issues around the town. It inspires young people to become involved in sport through its full-time scholarship programme and youth teams. I congratulate Larne owner, Kenny Bruce; chairman, Gareth Clements; manager, Tiernan Lynch; and all the staff and players who have brought so much excitement and joy to the town and fans over the past few years, especially with this summer's historic achievement. The team is very much for the town.

Tom (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I rise to raise the issue of the resignation of the Veterans Commissioner, Danny Kinahan, just last week. It impacts directly on the veterans community and, indeed, wider society in Northern Ireland. Mr Kinahan has raised urgent concerns regarding the support, protections and independent representation available to veterans in Northern Ireland. He cited an inability to:

"provide the independent voice that veterans require",

which underscores a critical development in how veterans' affairs are managed in Northern Ireland. That recent event has sparked widespread concern across the veterans community and beyond, making it a matter of immediate relevance.

The role of the Veterans Commissioner for Northern Ireland is vital in advocating for the specific needs and concerns of veterans, many of whom feel that they are being neglected, when compared with their counterparts in Great Britain. The representation in Northern Ireland claims that veterans in the region do not enjoy the same protections as those in Great Britain, which, coupled with the recent loss of the Northern Ireland Veterans' Support Office, underscores an alarming development that could lead to a gap in support. Given the sacrifices made by veterans, any perceived failure in providing adequate support is of exceptional public interest and requires immediate attention by the Assembly and the Northern Ireland Office.

The veterans' community comprises individuals who have served and sacrificed for the country. Those veterans, their families and the broader community are directly affected by the lack of an independent voice advocating for their unique needs. The resignation not only highlights the specific concerns of the veterans in Northern Ireland but brings to light the broader issue of how their welfare is managed by the UK Government, making it a matter that impacts on many citizens in Northern Ireland.

Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

I call for urgent and sustained funding for the Men's Action Network (MAN), an organisation that has made an enormous impact on the lives of men in my constituency. The group has been life-changing for many and life-saving for some who felt that they had nowhere else to turn. Males accounted for 77% of suicides registered in 2022. That figure was even higher in areas of deprivation and among young men aged between 20 and 24. It is, therefore, ludicrous that such a key support network in Derry has been stripped of funding, with Ministers stating that there is nothing they can do in light of Departments' precarious funding positions and refusing to meet the group and hear from service users.

Men face significant mental health challenges. Many struggle in silence, burdened by societal expectations of masculinity that discourage vulnerability, but that stigma is slowly eroding thanks to such groups as MAN, which provide a safe space, address isolation and give community support. I am sure that I speak for everyone here when I say that navigating the past few extremely difficult years would have been impossible without our voluntary and community sector. The sector has always stepped in when traditional statutory services have been overstretched, all the while working within extremely challenging budget positions of their own.

MAN is unique in its intersectional approach. Few organisations address such a wide array of interconnected issues: mental health support; educational opportunities; breaking down barriers in the legal system; and, perhaps most crucially, working with male victims of domestic violence — so often an overlooked issue. MAN was the critical juncture in establishing a male refuge, plans for which have now had to be put on hold. The failure to fund an organisation like that sends a strong wrong message to men who are suffering. Let me assure them: there is still help out there, and no one has to suffer in silence.

MAN's work spans several Departments, and thus ensuring that the group is funded should be the responsibility of the Executive as a whole. Investment will save the public purse in the long run by preventing crises and reducing the demand on overstretched public services. More importantly, it will save lives. A good Government would never leave MAN behind.

Sinéad Ennis (Sinn Féin, South Down)

For a full year, the community in Warrenpoint has been subjected to an oppressive, foul odour that has engulfed our town, owing to the close proximity of Warrenpoint harbour and the large volumes of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) or household waste currently stored there. Tens of thousands of tons of household waste is stored mere metres from people's homes and businesses. It causes a putrid smell that impacts on people's daily lives. I seriously question how appropriate it was to grant a licence to store that volume of household waste so close to people's homes in the first place. For example, people have been dealing with the fact that their homes are swarming with flies and they cannot open their windows. We have dealt with a family with a young child with autism. His only relief is to go out into his back garden. That cannot happen anymore, because the smell is so overwhelming.

We had two successful festivals in Warrenpoint this summer. Unfortunately, although both festivals were very successful, they were both overshadowed by the constant smell lingering in the air. People will be aware that we finally have movement on the Narrow Water bridge. Our council and local political representatives are working on how to use that to best boost our local economy and attract more people and tourism to Warrenpoint. That will be at odds with the fact that the smell emanating from the household waste stored at Warrenpoint port is being allowed to continue.

Contrary to what is being said in the media and on social media sites, unfortunately, a large volume of household waste continues to flood into Warrenpoint port. The people of Newry, Mourne and Down are reasonable. We want to play our part and support more environmentally friendly ways of dealing with our household waste, but that cannot be to the detriment of the people of Warrenpoint. It is simply not good enough to expect the community in Warrenpoint to continue to put up and shut up on this issue.

Sinn Féin will continue to use every avenue that is open to us to resolve the issue. I again call on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the NIEA and all those with responsibility to continue to work with us, the community groups, political representatives and the business community to ensure that the oppressive odour that has engulfed our town for more than a year is stopped once and for all.

Cheryl Brownlee (DUP, East Antrim)

On Emergency Services Day, it is important for us to take a moment to express our deep gratitude to the remarkable individuals who serve in our emergency services. Today provides an opportunity to truly recognise and honour the unwavering dedication, incredible bravery and profound sacrifice of those who work tirelessly to protect and serve our communities day in, day out. Our firefighters, police officers, paramedics and rescue workers consistently go above and beyond the call of duty, often facing dangerous and unpredictable situations. From responding to house fires and medical emergencies to addressing public safety threats as the first line of defence, they frequently put their lives at risk to protect ours.

Emergency Services Day is also a day on which we acknowledge the countless volunteers who wholeheartedly support those efforts. Their readiness to step forward during a crisis is a powerful testament to their resilience and community spirit. We are deeply thankful for the commitment and selflessness that they demonstrate, especially in the most challenging of circumstances. In addition, it is essential to take some time to reflect on the individuals who have tragically lost their lives in the line of duty. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten, and their legacy continues to inspire us all.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of our emergency services workers for their unwavering dedication. We stand beside you, we support you and we will continually work to ensure that you receive the resources and recognition that you truly deserve. Today and every day, we honour your service.

Stewart Dickson (Alliance, East Antrim)

Last Sunday evening, a major fire occurred in my home community of Greenisland at a Church of Ireland church known as the Church of the Holy Name. Following Ms Brownlee's comments, I place on record my thanks to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, the PSNI and Northern Ireland Water, all of which assisted so remarkably on that very sad and difficult evening.

That event brought the community of Greenisland together, as, indeed, I expected it would, having been a lifelong resident in the community. We came together last Wednesday evening not only to reflect on and think about the incident that occurred but to look positively to the future, to rebuild that church community and to build on our endeavours to unite the community of Greenisland. I place on record my thanks to the Reverend Isobel Hawthorne-Steele, who is in charge of the congregation there, for her grace in the way in which she handled all the difficult events that followed the fire.

Pat Sheehan (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

Inniu an Lá Idirnáisiúnta chun an tOideachas a Chosaint ar an Ionsaí. Is ceart bunúsach é an t-oideachas, ceart nach raibh i dtólamh ar fáil sa tír seo, ach anois, ceart atá neamhiontach againn anseo in Éirinn. Ní hamhlaidh i go leor tíortha eile, áfach.

I dtrátha an ama seo anuraidh, bhí breis agus 625,000 mac léinn ar scoil in Gaza agus breis agus 20,000 múinteoir ag obair ann. Dar leis na Náisiúin Aontaithe nach bhfuil foghlaim ar bith ar bun in Gaza inniu. Cá bhfuil mar a bheadh foghlaim ar bun ann nuair atá corradh agus 80% de na scoileanna in Gaza scriosta ag fórsaí Iosrael?

Gan fiú scoileanna de chuid na Náisiún Aontaithe nach bhfuil dul acu ón ionsaí Iosraelach. Seo scoileanna, a Cheann Comhairle, a chuir na Náisiúin Aontaithe ar bun le haghaidh teifigh Phalaistíneacha. Tá breis agus 50% de na scoileanna sin scriosta ag fórsaí Iosrael anois fosta. Tá ionsaí Iosrael ar an chóras oideachais chomh forleathan sin go bhfuil focal ag na Náisiúin Aontaithe air: an léanndíothú.

Faoi mhí Aibreáin i mbliana, bhí beagnach 6,000 scoláire marbh, beagnach 300 múinteoir marbh agus beagnach 100 léachtóir ollscoile marbh as siocair ionsaithe Iosrael. Agus is cinnte go ndeachaigh an scéal chun donais ó shin.

Tá beagnach 6,000 páiste ar naíscoil anseo sna Sé Chontae. Tá thart ar 1,500 ionad oideachais againn. Dá ndéanfaí an scrios agus an sléacht céanna sna Sé Chontae agus atá déanta ag Iosrael in Gaza b’ionann é agus gach páiste naíscoile anseo bás a fháil in ionsaithe míleata. B’ionann é agus gach naíscoil, gach bunscoil, gach meánscoil agus gach scoil ghramadaí anseo a bheith scriosta glan. Nuair a scriostar scoileanna, scriostar saol agus seans na chéad ghlúine eile.

Inniu an Lá Idirnáisiúnta chun an tOideachas a Chosaint ar an Ionsaí. Iarraim ar an phobal idirnáisiúnta brú a chur ar Iosrael éirí as an chinedhíothú agus éirí as an léanndíothú in Gaza.

Pat Sheehan (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

[Translation: Today is International Day to Protect Education from Attack. Education is a fundamental right, a right that has not always been available in this country, but now, a right that we take for granted here in Ireland. However, this is not the case in many other countries. This time last year, there were more than 625,000 students at school in Gaza and more than 20,000 teachers working there. According to the UN, there is no learning taking place in Gaza today. How could there be learning when Israeli forces have destroyed more than 80% of the schools in Gaza? Not even schools run by the United Nations escape Israeli attack. These are schools that were set up by the UN for Palestinian refugees. More than 50% of those UN schools have now also been destroyed by Israeli forces. Israeli attacks on the education system are so bad that the United Nations has a name for it: scholasticide. By April of this year, nearly 6,000 students were dead, nearly 300 teachers dead and nearly 100 university lecturers dead as a result of Israeli attacks. The situation has certainly worsened since then. There are almost 6,000 children at nursery school in the Six Counties. We have around 1,500 educational centres. If that destruction and slaughter at the hands of Israel were to be visited upon the Six Counties, it would equate to every nursery-school child here dying in a military attack. It would be the same as every nursery school, every primary school, every secondary school and every grammar school here being completely destroyed. When schools are destroyed, so too are the lives and chances of the next generation. Today is the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. I call on the international community to bring pressure to bear on Israel to stop the genocide and stop the scholasticide in Gaza.]

Michelle McIlveen (DUP, Strangford)

On 17 August, the police instructed the occupants of around 450 homes in Newtownards to vacate their premises the following day because an 1,100-lb bomb had been uncovered by workmen. The bomb was dropped in 1941 during a German bombing raid. The discovery of the Second World War bomb caused tremendous upheaval for the residents of Rivenwood, Old Forge, Stratheden and the surrounding areas. Residents were told that they could be out of their homes for five days or longer. Ards and North Down Borough Council opened an emergency support centre in Ards Blair Mayne leisure complex that included support and information from the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, social services, the Housing Executive and the police.

Residents who had no alternative accommodation were able to come to the complex for shelter and support. The incident really brought out the best in our local community, with offers of rooms, support and even temporary homes for pets of all types. Given that the incident affected around 1,000 people, it is incredible how many people opened up their homes.

I spent some time at the hub over the three days of the incident, where I spoke to multi-agency staff, council staff and some of those who were displaced. I express my gratitude to those who were involved in the response to the emergency. I was contacted by a large number of residents, who had nothing but praise for the assistance that they received. Special mention must go to the council's chief executive, leisure centre staff, the council's emergency response team and the council's communications team for stepping up at such short notice; the PSNI and ammunition technical officer (ATO) teams for their speed and professionalism; and the staff of the statutory agencies for their support and advice over the three days of the incident.

A message that came though loud and clear during and after the incident, however, was on the lack of financial support. Many residents who were displaced lost out financially. There were those who lost out on work because their vans or tools were stuck behind the cordon, as well as those who work from home but could not do so from their temporary accommodation. There were those who had to stay in B&Bs and hotels, and there was one group of elderly ladies who had just paid for an additional two-night stay when the bomb was set off and they were allowed to return home. They have been wrangling with the hotel chain ever since to refund the money. Others had to pay for accommodation for their pets. There was also damage to properties following the blast. We have no clarity as to whether insurance companies will cover the cost, and they certainly will not cover the excess.

Since the incident, I have written to the Minister and I have tabled a question on whether a one-off payment can be made. I have not received a response as yet, but I hope that we can offer support to those who were directly affected. We were able to support those who were affected by adverse weather, so surely we can support those who were affected by the unforeseen circumstances of a 1941 bombing raid.

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

On 14 June 2017, the Grenfell Tower fire shook the world. At 12.54 am, flames engulfed a 24-storey tower in north Kensington in west London. That fire raged for 60 hours, tragically claiming 72 lives, injuring over 70 more and forcing 223 residents to flee. Last week, many of those families received some justice, which will have fallen far short seeing that they are without loved ones whom they have lost forever. We need to consider the inquiry and all the failings that were detailed in it.

The disaster was not simply an accident. It highlighted years of underinvestment, neglect and unsafe building practices. Despite concerns raised by residents about fire safety, including the highly flammable cladding that was used in recent renovations, those warnings went unheard. A lack of regulatory oversight, cost-cutting measures and inadequate responses from the authorities compounded the tragedy.

The Grenfell fire stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of negligence and inequality, and it calls us all to action to ensure that every life, regardless of background or circumstance, is safeguarded by the highest standards of safety and care. I was struck by the comments made in the inquiry report — I thank Ms Brownlee and Mr Dickson for mentioning Emergency Services Day — by a firefighter who was at the Grenfell incident and subsequently had to retire early due to PTSD. That firefighter had an unfortunate calculation to make, whilst trying to rescue people from the twenty-first floor of the tower, on turning back for the sake of his own life and those of his team. He was left with that burden.

From my own time in the Fire Service, I remember the impact of cost-cutting and changes to legislation and policy by those who did not have operational expertise. I echo and support the calls by the two Members I mentioned for support for the emergency services as we go forward.

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

This coming weekend, on 15 September, is International Day of Democracy. Each one of us is in this Chamber because citizens used their vote to elect us to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Some people in Northern Ireland, however, are excluded from being able to vote. In Scotland and Wales, 16- and 17-year-olds are able to cast their democratic vote to have a say in who will govern in their local government area and local Parliament, but our 16- and 17-year-olds here are not entrusted with the same democratic right as those elsewhere across the UK and it is time that that were changed.

Some say that a 16- or 17-year-old is too young, not able to understand or too inexperienced to cast a vote. As a woman, I know that 100 years ago — more than 100 years ago — they were saying that about women, and look at how that has changed. We have a female First Minister, a female deputy First Minister and a female Minister of Justice. Each year, politicians and society celebrate how well our 16- and 17-year-olds do in exams. Why, on the one hand, are those intelligent and amazing people being celebrated for their achievements but, on the other hand, are being denied the ability to vote? Why do we celebrate our Youth Assembly and youth forums across Northern Ireland but exclude them from their democratic right?

Negative assumptions about the ability of younger voters are discussed in a blog that Professor David Runciman of the University of Cambridge published in June 2024. He sets out how presumptions about younger voters did not materialise in Germany, Belgium or Greece when their voting age was lowered. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds were far from predictable and were found to replicate the voting patterns of other age groups.

It is important to remember that younger voters want to vote. In a recent NUS survey, 97% of respondents said that they would vote in future elections. If only all age groups would turn out in such a high percentage. If Scotland and Wales can do it, Northern Ireland should enable 16- and 17-year-olds to have democratic rights that are equal to those of their peers elsewhere in the UK.

We have all been elected as MLAs because of the democratic process. Enabling votes at the age of 16 for council and Assembly elections would be a positive and progressive step for Northern Ireland. As many in the House know, voting age is a matter that is excepted under paragraph 12 of schedule 2 to the 1998 Act. The Assembly has no power to make the change. That would need a Act of Parliament, so I wrote to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to ask that the legislation regarding the voting age in Northern Ireland elections be updated to enable people who are aged 16 and above to vote. The Secretary of State responded, confirming that it is his wish to extend that democratic right to 16- and 17-year-olds. Indeed, Labour committed in its manifesto to extending the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds.

In 2012, Sinn Féin's Megan Fearon tabled a motion calling for votes at the age of 16, and the House passed it, so I say to the Secretary of State —

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

The Member's time is up.

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

— you have the time, please bring the vote forward.

Assembly Business

Ministerial Statement

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

I have received notice from the First Minister and deputy First Minister that they wish to make a statement. Before I call the deputy First Minister, I remind Members that their questions must be concise. It is not an opportunity for debate or long introductions. That will not be allowed.

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

The First Minister and I wish to inform Members that, following the Executive's unanimous agreement to the draft Programme for Government (PFG) on Thursday, the Executive Office will today launch a public consultation.

The draft Programme for Government outlines the Executive's bold ambition for Northern Ireland. It is different from what has been attempted in the past. It is reflective of the realities that we face today, but it is also ambitious for the future. It is also realistic about the financial position that we find ourselves in and the shortened mandate in which we operate. We make no apology for being ambitious. We want to build on our reputation as a great place to live, work, study, invest and visit. We want to build on the fact that we are global leaders in key sectors such as cyber, fintech, advanced manufacturing and health and life sciences, and we want to continue to invest in our young people so that we can continue to have a young, dedicated and highly skilled workforce. Our aim is to change the lives of our people and communities for the better.

To deliver on that aim, the Programme for Government contains nine priorities. They are the immediate priorities that we will work to this year and throughout the duration of this mandate. They are to grow a globally competitive and sustainable economy; to deliver more affordable childcare; to cut health waiting lists; ending violence against women and girls; better support for children and young people with special educational needs; to provide more social, affordable and sustainable housing; safer communities; protecting Lough Neagh and the environment; and the reform and transformation of public services. We must all focus on delivering the programme together for everyone.

We know that there are challenges, but there are opportunities. With 'Our Plan', we have a way forward. It provides a road map for people, organisations and Departments. The Programme for Government provides a basis for transformational change in the things that really matter. I look forward to us — the Executive and the Assembly — working together to make a real difference.

The scale of the challenges that we face requires new thinking and structures. A missions-based approach will help us to measure and prioritise our work. Those missions are "People", "Planet" and "Prosperity", and they are underpinned by a cross-cutting commitment to "Peace".

When it comes to "People", we have some of the highest levels of life satisfaction in Europe, but not everyone here is able to have a positive experience of life. People from more deprived areas are more likely to suffer from poorer physical and mental health, for example. We need to invest in people and ensure that they are supported to succeed and prosper. We want everyone to reach their full potential.

The "Planet" mission focuses on the natural environment. It is vital to everyone's health and well-being both now and in the future. We are all very aware of the increasingly evident biodiversity crisis, as seen, for example, at Lough Neagh.

The "Prosperity" mission considers our economic performance. While it has improved dramatically in the past 25 years, it still lags behind where it could and should be. Our GDP per capita remains stubbornly low, and that is particularly true outside Belfast. We need to make sure that we are building the skills needed to attract investment that can grow our economy and benefit workers everywhere.

In terms of "Peace", we want to build on the successes of the past 26 years to make sure that our peace is lasting, meaningful and prosperous for everyone here. By focusing on "People", "Planet" and "Prosperity", we will shape a fairer and more peaceful society. We know that equality of opportunity and good relations are central to that goal, supporting our commitment to safer communities.

A key feature of the new programme is its focus on collaborative working between organisations and groups across the public, voluntary and private sectors. It is also a programme in which individuals and communities can play an active part. The Executive will therefore work collectively to deliver the programme and to drive forward work across departmental and sectoral boundaries. We will also be tracking performance regularly and publishing annual reports on the progress that we are making so that everyone can understand the impact that we are having. To improve the lives of people here, we need to deliver real change, and the Programme for Government provides us with a framework to deliver that change as an Executive.

Mr Speaker, we are determined to find solutions. We are determined to take action to ensure that our communities have access to the life opportunities that they deserve. We are determined to make this a place that we can all be proud to call "home". We are determined to deliver for the public. The consultation will provide people here with an opportunity to consider the programme and provide their views on it. We can have an effective plan for Northern Ireland only if we can hear from those on whom it is most likely to impact. That is why it is important that as many people as possible share their views during the consultation process. 'Our Plan' is for all of us, and we all have a stake in making it happen.

Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an leas-Chéad Aire as ucht a ráitis.

[Translation: I thank the deputy First Minister for her statement.]

It is a significant milestone for the four-party Executive, particularly as it sets out the priorities of the draft PFG for the rest of the mandate. How confident is the deputy First Minister that the draft PFG commitments will be delivered?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her question. This is the stage when we want to listen to people's views about the priorities. In putting together the draft Programme for Government, we have been listening to many people, and we believe that the draft document represents the key issues that matter most to people. They are the issues on which people want us to make progress.

I am confident that all four parties in the Executive and, certainly, the First Minister and I share a determination to ensure that we deliver. We have made it clear that we want the Executive to deliver. As we jointly lead the Executive, we want to give a commitment to everyone throughout Northern Ireland that we have the determination to deliver. The best way to do that is with a plan that is put together by listening to people, by focusing on the right things and with a joint determination to make a real and positive difference to people's lives.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

The constructive Opposition have been constructive in calling for a Programme for Government for months now. We welcome the fact that one has been published, but we have also been clear that the people of Northern Ireland expected clear targets and clear plans to deliver.

On page 27 of the Programme for Government, there is a chart that lists the increase in patients waiting for a consultant appointment. The number went from 70,000 in 2008-09 to 428,000 in the most recent year, but I cannot find anywhere in the document a specific target to reduce those times and waiting lists. Will the deputy First Minister please point me to such a target in the document?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I hope that the leader of the Opposition will continue in his constructive approach and engage with the draft Programme for Government that was published today. I am pleased that we have reached this point, that it is an ambitious and focused programme, that everyone in society will now get a chance to shape it into the final document and that, alongside the final document, we will be able to judge our success by how we measure the outcome. I am delighted that we are absolutely committed to being open and transparent about the progress that we will make.

Nobody in the Chamber underestimates the scale of the challenge in our health service, but the best way to fix it is to work together. It is not just the Department of Health's responsibility; all Executive colleagues are now committed to working together to ensure that we bring down hospital waiting lists.

At the end of the day, the Programme for Government has to be about making a difference in people's lives. I am confident that we have the plan to turn things around. I am confident that the whole Executive are committed to transformation. I am also confident that we can be judged along the way, when we have the final Programme for Government and our well-being framework. I know that the Member had a chance to look through the document only briefly before the session, but he will see from it that we will publish annual reports, we will be able to be measured against what we have set out to achieve, we will mark our progress under each mission — whether it is "People", "Planet" or "Prosperity" — in terms of "Peace", and, once we have the final Programme for Government, there will be a set of outcomes and indicators alongside it. All of society will be able to judge how successful the Executive have been.

Joanne Bunting (DUP, Belfast East)

The statement rightly makes many references to life, but, as Benjamin Franklin said:

"Nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes."

We are not responsible for taxes, so I will come to the issues of death, dying and bereavement and their inclusion in the PFG. In the previous mandate, the Assembly unanimously passed a motion on a cross-party basis that death, dying and bereavement would be included, because they are fundamental aspects of life. Is the Executive Office open to having conversations on the inclusion of such an issue?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I recognise that the Member has been a huge champion of dignity in dying and the support that is required for that. She spoke of the inevitably of death for us all. The First Minister and I are up for having that conversation and for engaging with those in the sector on how that issue is reflected. It is critical that the Programme for Government follows that life-cycle approach. It is often said that healthcare is from the cradle to the grave, but, as we know, there is also important work to be done before birth to support mothers, and that work can impact on children's life opportunities. The Programme for Government is based very much on that life-cycle approach. It is a critical aspect, and we look forward to engaging with the Member on it.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for meeting Connie Egan and me this morning to touch briefly on this. I will pick up on the title of the report: "Doing What Matters Most". The deputy First Minister mentioned the consultation process. I am sure that a lot of stakeholders and voluntary sector groups will scour the document for mention of their area. How will you manage expectations for the consultation process? How will you ensure that people do not feel that their issues do not matter?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I look forward to working with the Committee Chair, the Deputy Chair and the entire Committee as we gather responses to the consultation. We need to send a strong message to wider society that this is a draft document and that we are listening. We are in listening mode. The document is the basis on which, we think, we can go out to consultation, but there is no doubt that there will be constructive comments and things that we may be able to include. Where we cannot include things, perhaps we can talk it out with those who advocate a different approach.

We have a huge body of work to do to build confidence through how we engage. We will come at this with an eight-week consultation period and 12 weeks for the equality impact screening. We will also go out to engage in person, and we will encourage all Ministers to do likewise. We will go out very much to listen to people and to hear what they have to say. Through our political briefs, we will all have a role to play in engaging with different sectoral interests. As the Member said, perhaps everybody will be picking over the document today, wanting to see their part. That is OK, because that is the area that they are interested in.

Encouraging people to engage with the process through a combination of in-person and online engagement will lead to a fulsome Programme for Government. The Committee's role will also be vital to make sure that we have the best possible Programme for Government that is fit for purpose. That is the Executive's collective will.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

I welcome the fact that one of the priorities is tackling health waiting lists. Waiting list initiatives are the vehicle that will be used to deliver those critical activities. Can the deputy First Minister confirm that bids for funding to deliver those efforts such as was sought but refused earlier this year will now be considered more favourably?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

The Member has raised the question of the commitment to cutting waiting lists. It is there. It is one of the nine key priorities. The document simply states, "Cut Health Waiting Times", and we are determined to do that. That cannot happen without transformation. It cannot continue to be the case that additional funds go in and outcomes not just remain the same but get worse. We therefore need a plan, and we will work with the Health Minister to support that. Where there is a need for additional expertise, we will look to that. We want to move on this urgently, and, if that priority is agreed following consultation — I believe that it will be, because it is an important issue that detrimentally impacts on so many people — there will be specific targets and an action plan attached to the commitment, and we will work with the Health Minister on what he can bring forward to support real and meaningful progress against that Programme for Government priority year on year.

Colm Gildernew (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their statement, particularly for the emphasis on collaborative working and the community playing an active part. In light of that, do they agree that it is essential that all voices provide input into shaping and informing the consultation process?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Yes. We ask that engagement with the process be as wide as possible. Again, Committees and the Member, in his role as the Chair of a Committee, will have the opportunity to engage with people from across all sectors.

We want to hear from the labour movement, civic society, the business community, academia and, of course, our young people. We have done particular work on looking at the impact on young people as part of the Programme for Government consultation.

I say to everybody that this is our plan. This is what is going to make a difference to us, our families and wider society. We need to drive home the message that everybody has a stake in it, that everybody has an opportunity to shape it, and that we very much want to engage and listen. As I said, we want the end result to be that we have made a difference to people's lives and that we can be judged on that. We are confident that we can improve some of the areas that we know are in huge difficulties, not least our public services after 10-plus years of austerity. The challenges that we, as a public sector, face will be fixed only if we transform how we do things. That is why you can see the whole way through the consultation document that it talks about transformation being key.

Deborah Erskine (DUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their statement. I welcome the Programme for Government in the face of many challenges that are facing the Executive. One such issue is investment in our waste water treatment. I welcome the document's references to creating better infrastructure. However, some of the funding for capital works relating to waste water treatment will fall under the investment strategy, so can the Minister point to work that is actively taking place in that regard so that it can tie in with the core missions of the Programme for Government?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her very important question. We are all very conscious of the importance of investment in waste water and sewerage and the impact that that has on planning applications and environmental issues in relation to Lough Neagh, for example. It is critical; it is one of the most urgent issues that we are facing. We are also acutely aware — we have discussed it on a number of occasions in the Executive — that that has a potential impact on a number of the priorities, not least in social, affordable and sustainable housing but in relation to growing our economy and other connected issues, particularly environmental issues.

The Member is absolutely right: the primary vehicle for that will be the investment strategy for Northern Ireland. We are working on that. We want to engage, of course, with all Committees, but particularly those Committees, such as hers, that have a particular focus on infrastructure, to make sure that that 10-plus-year plan on capital can do what it needs to do. Budget is, of course, going to be really important. We know how difficult the circumstances are in that regard currently.

Connie Egan (Alliance, North Down)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for meeting the Chair of the Executive Office Committee this morning. I am very glad to see that ending violence against women and girls is a priority. How will you make sure that all Departments have input to ending violence, misogyny and abuse towards women and girls?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I appreciate the ongoing emphasis that the Member, alongside other colleagues, puts on that area. I am very pleased to say that, hopefully, next week, we will be able to announce our strategy to end violence against women and girls. The Executive signed off on that piece of work last week. As the Member rightly points out, that is a whole-of-society problem that we have. We must do everything that we can to end violence against women and girls, particularly after the summer that has just gone, during which, tragically, three more women lost their lives. I will be delighted to, hopefully, say a lot more about that next week, when we present our strategy for ending violence against women and girls.

Nicola Brogan (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their statement today. The four-party Executive have taken significant action since coming into office on matters around the public-sector pay award and the interim fiscal framework. You have made progress on the Budget and agreed a legislative programme. Building on the work to date, can the deputy First Minister detail what is in the draft Programme for Government?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

As the deputy First Minister set out, we have focused on nine priorities. That is really important, because this is a different, shortened mandate, and one that has been marred by financial challenges, not least because of austerity over the past 14 years. With those two main challenges in mind, it was important that we tried to reimagine the Programme for Government or look at it in a different way. That is why we focused very clearly on those nine key objectives. It is not an exhaustive list; it is a list that the Executive collectively committed to work together on and ensure that we have delivery on. Outside of that, all other Departments also have their own areas of responsibility and work. The new approach reflects the reality of the challenging situation that we face with the finances, but, equally, alongside that, the document, I hope, points to hope. There are opportunities to grow our economy, attract trade, create more and better-paid jobs, address regional imbalance and lift everybody in society up. Those are the things that we are very much going to focus on, and that is why I say that everybody has a stake in what is being set out here today.

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

I welcome the publication of the draft Programme for Government and the fact that all four parties in the Executive have signed up to it. It is important, now, that the Executive engage with the public during the consultation. We have heard some detail, but can we hear more detail on how the Executive intend to carry out that consultation?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. As was indicated, it is critical that we listen to people. Ultimately, we want to deliver, and what we want to deliver will impact on all throughout Northern Ireland, particularly the big issues such as healthcare reform and, for example, the affordable childcare strategy and tackling the big issues in education, particularly in relation to special educational needs. Those are issues that impact on so many people throughout Northern Ireland. We want to listen and we must do so. Therefore, there will be a range of methods used to try to gather those views. There will be an online process, and there will be the ability to write in and give your views. We will also be going out as an Executive and engaging with people through workshops and roadshows, outside and within Belfast, to really listen to people on a sectoral basis about the issues that they want to see reflected in the Programme for Government.

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

I do not want the First Minister and deputy First Minister to be fighting over answering my question, as they did for Ms Brogan's question. I do not want to be negative, but I will be honest, if that is OK. It is really good that you have brought this draft Programme for Government to us and put it out for discussion, but, in reality, the two things that have affected the people in Northern Ireland the most over the past eight years have been the lack of funding and political abstentionism. You have got off to a great start in your roles as First Minister and deputy First Minister, but the timeline of delivery will require a stable Government who are here when big decisions need to be made. Have we a commitment from the Executive Office that that will be the case, not just for this mandate but into the next one?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I apologise to the deputy First Minister; I did not realise that I had answered two questions in a row. We are supposed to alternate, but anyway. I will take Mr Butler's question.

We are launching a draft Programme for Government, and it does not get more real than that. That is what we are here to do. We are here to be in government together; the four parties of the Executive. We have set out very real and meaningful plans that we think will make a difference to people's lives. We are focused on prosperity and lifting everybody up, which is what the public want to see. They want political leaders to work together. They want us to find solutions to the big problems of today, and that is what we think we have cracked in the Programme for Government insofar as it sets out our focus on those immediate priorities. It also allows us to build for the future, which is important. Therefore, we are setting very firm foundations for how we move forward.

Obviously, making a lot of this work will depend on the whole financial situation and getting that right. We are determined and are at one, as a four-party Executive, in fighting the good fight for properly funded public services here. That is not special treatment; it is fair and is what people are entitled to. We will engage with the Labour Government continuously in trying to get to that right juncture.

Declan Kearney (Sinn Féin, South Antrim)

Gabhaim buíochas leis na hAirí as ucht a ráitis a chur ar fáil an tráthnóna seo.

[Translation: I thank the Ministers for their statement this afternoon.]

The Ministers will understand that public services here have been underfunded and below need for a significant number of years as a result of successive decisions by British Governments. The early indications are that the Labour Administration may well be prioritising austerity over the resilience of public services. Is í an cheist atá agam oraibh beirt, mar sin:

[Translation: So, my question to you both, is:]

do you believe that we have sufficient resources to deliver this Programme for Government?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. The Executive have a determination to deliver. We have set out our draft plan, trying to identify what we believe matters most to people throughout Northern Ireland, but the ability to deliver is fundamentally based on resources and the Budget that we have. We can do some things if we have a more limited Budget, but we could do more to improve lives if we had a better Budget. We have stepped up and said to the UK Government that we have a determination to have a sustainable Budget. We have a determination to be sensible and to have a sensible approach to our Budget, but we should have what we need in order to run our public services.

Up until this point, our Budget has really struggled. We can see that across all Departments, and we hear from all the Ministers about the resources that are required for them, including for, for example, Health and Education. A recent example of that is the winter fuel payment and the impact of the decision on that by the Labour Government on those who are very often the least capable of being able to afford to heat their homes. We have serious concerns, although I welcome the fact that we will meet the Chancellor this Thursday along with the Finance Minister. We will raise sustainable and proper funding for Northern Ireland. That is what people here need and deserve. We will be upfront and determined in making that case to the Treasury and the Chancellor. We will also raise issues such as the decision on the winter fuel payment.

Diane Dodds (DUP, Upper Bann)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for answering questions and for the production of a Programme for Government. It is an important way forward. I welcome the focus on health waiting lists. I do not know of any constituency office or area that we represent that will not be impacted by that fundamental issue.

A previous Member to speak referred to funding for health waiting lists, but does the First Minister recognise that there are structural problems and inequalities in the health service that will require huge decisions by the Executive and the wider Assembly? Will the First Minister tell the House whether the Health Minister has presented his plan for the transformation of the health service to the Executive? If not, will the First Minister guarantee to the House that that will be a priority for the Executive?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I can guarantee that it is a priority. It is one of the nine priorities that we have identified. As you said, collectively, we all have constituents who are in dire straits waiting to get into the health service. They are being forced to beg, borrow and steal sometimes to get private healthcare, and that is not acceptable. We also know many constituents who, day and daily, cannot get access to their GP. That is not acceptable, and it is not good enough.

We all need to focus on transformation and ask how we can support primary care and invest upfront in it, how we can bring care closer to families and how we can take the pressure from the acute end into that front-line investment. We need to see very concrete plans. We need to see something develop from the work that has been done to date. The Department of Health has published an elective care framework, and there have been some marginal improvements, albeit we are still in such a dire situation that it is hard to talk that up. In the aftermath of the Programme for Government being consulted on, we will see even more concrete plans coming forward from Health, and we will work with it on those. That is vital, because we need to get waiting lists down and we need to stop the wastage in our health service.

We know that we have first-class health and social care workers working in our system day and night under huge pressure. We have invested in them through public-sector pay, which was one of the first things that the Executive were able to do. Outside of that, we need to see real systems change and complete restructuring of the health service so that we can start to tackle health inequalities.

(Mr Deputy Speaker [Dr Aiken] in the Chair)

A whole raft of things need to happen, including transformation, investment in the health service and programmes to bring down waiting times for people. Improving people's life and health outcomes is crucial, and I welcome the fact that the Health Minister has brought forward some initial plans on how he will develop more work on tackling health inequalities. There is a lot to do there, but it is a priority for us, and I assure you that, when we get to the end of the Programme for Government, we will need to look at what that looks like in waiting lists over year 1, year 2 and year 3.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for the statement today and, in particular, for the reference to the:

"evident biodiversity crisis, as seen at Lough Neagh."

It seems clear to me that a meaningful environmental improvement plan is a crucial part of tackling the environmental, ecological and biodiversity crises.

My understanding is that the AERA Minister brought the environmental improvement plan to the Executive in March, just weeks after his appointment. Do the First Minister and deputy First Minister agree that the publication of that environmental improvement plan is now urgently as well as legally required as part of the actions that flow from the Programme for Government?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. Of course, Executive business is confidential. However, I agree with the Member that having an environmental improvement plan is important. I welcome the fact that, in the Executive, we were able to produce and agree the Lough Neagh plan to look at some of those urgent issues. On the wider picture of the Programme for Government, I welcome that it is a priority action, because we know that it is having a detrimental impact. We have only to look at Lough Neagh. We know the importance of Lough Neagh and those environmental aspects, but, of course, it is linked to other policies. There is no doubt that the water, sewage and waste water issues at Lough Neagh are critical. We have to resolve them. That will require investment. It will not be an easy fix — we know that — but I think that there is determination across all four Executive parties to find workable solutions.

We have a fantastic farming community in Northern Ireland. We have excellent agri-food products. Sometimes, there is apprehension in the farming sector that a disproportionate burden will be put on farming and agriculture on environmental actions. We need to make sure that, in fact, that will not be the case and that there will be a fair and proportionate approach. We know that, for example, as I have said, the waste water, sewerage and water infrastructure is a critical aspect of that, which we must tackle.

Colin McGrath (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

The Minister said in her statement that the Executive make no apology for being ambitious. Given that no new funding is being announced for our health service and the Department of Health continues to run at a deficit, will they at least apologise to the hundreds of thousands of people who are languishing on waiting lists, who will have been looking to the statement for some hope but see warm words and no concrete actions?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I just do not agree. It is as simple as that. I say to the people who are on waiting lists and have been waiting a long time to get treatment that we will do absolutely everything that we can to help them get their treatment. We will work night and day to fix the health service, which has been put on its knees by a Tory austerity agenda for over 14 years. The Member knows that rightly. That is why his party signed up to the cross-party memo that we sent when we first re-formed the Executive.

This place has been underfunded, and we need to turn that picture. We are determined, as the four-party Executive, to make that happen. I am glad that we will go to the Treasury again this week and continue our engagement. We have been able to make some progress. We are determined to fight the fight for good finances here. We are determined to fight for a fair funding model. We are determined to fight for investment in our health service, because, on one hand, people are languishing on waiting lists, and, at the same time, the health service that they depend on has been starved because of deliberate policy set in London. That is not acceptable. We will continue to make the case for proper funding so that we can invest in our health service.

I am sure that, if you are sitting at home and have been waiting on a waiting list for a considerable period, what you want to know is this: "What is the solution?", "When will I get my appointment?", "How will it be fixed?", and "When will the health service be able to respond to individuals' needs?". That is what we will try to deliver.

Cathy Mason (Sinn Féin, South Down)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their statement and answers so far. Do they agree that much more must be done to make childcare provision more accessible and affordable?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her important question. Childcare has been a priority from day 1. I was really pleased that, because of its urgency and importance, we were able to get childcare on the agenda of the very first Executive meeting. We know that the cost of childcare puts a huge burden on families, but I really welcome that many thousands of families have received their first payment through the immediate £25 million childcare fund that we were able to secure and that our Education Minister, Paul Givan, has been able to roll out. That is the feedback that I have got. It does not go far enough, but it makes a difference — a positive difference — to those really hard-pressed budgets.

It is a priority issue. I look forward to the significant work that will be completed in order to bring forward the substantive strategy. In the remainder of the mandate, I want that to be not just an absolutely key strategic action but a success story of the Executive. Again, it comes back to the budget challenges that we have. We can only do what we can with the Budget that we can get, but we will make the best possible case for additional resources by looking at what we have in order to prioritise that to support those hard-working families.

Michelle Guy (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

Thank you, deputy First Minister and First Minister, for your statement. It is positive to see the draft Programme for Government being published today, and we look forward to engaging more on implementation in the months and years ahead.

Alliance has led the way on childcare policy in recent years, and we are pleased to see the roll-out of interim measures this summer, including the subsidy scheme. As a mother who is, effectively, returning to the workplace full-time today, having taken time out and worked part-time when my kids were small, due in no small part to the challenge of childcare, I am really pleased to see that childcare has been given the profile that it deserves by being included in the priorities of the draft Programme for Government.

As part of the development of a wider childcare strategy, what measures will be provided to support school-age childcare?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I thank the Member. Welcome to the Assembly: I look forward to working with you. We share with many in the House the passion for trying to get this one right. Childcare, as the deputy First Minister said, has been our priority from day 1. I am really pleased with the advances that we have been able to make. They are making a tangible difference out there across a range of things. In what we have been able to achieve in the first seven months, we have only got going.

In that first period — I have just been reflecting on this — we have been able to secure £9 million for the 15% childcare subsidy. I know that that is all for preschool-age children, so we have work to do on building that up, but we have also been able to put £7 million towards supporting children who face disadvantage, £2 million towards childcare providers, because we need our childcare providers to stay in place, regardless of the age of the child, and we have made moves towards the expansion of the universal preschool education programme to provide up to 22·5 hours of care for children aged three to four. That is just the start of our getting going. There is a raft of work underneath all that that is about gathering evidence and working with the sector. Having identified it as one of our priorities, we will keep building on that. We need to move beyond the initial cohort and the younger children into school-aged children cohort, because there is also a burden there. The biggest burden for families right now in childcare is at that preschool age. That is why we have started there, but we absolutely have to walk to the end of the road.

As a granny, I understand the problem acutely from my family. I want us to be able to say to families, "We will try to support you through the childcare journey". We know how expensive it is, and we are trying to make sure that we get to a point where we support the childcare provider to stay in place and they in turn pass on a more affordable childcare cost to the family, which allows more people to stay in work. That is a win-win for everybody — it is a circular economy investment — and we are determined to keep building on it.

Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

I thank the First Minister and the deputy First Minister for the launch of the draft PFG. Do the Ministers agree that regional balance must be a central component of the Programme for Government?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. Absolutely, we want to deliver not just for people who live in and around Belfast but everyone, no matter where they live in Northern Ireland. We recognise that, if we are to grow our economy and have good jobs and foreign direct investment and if we are to encourage companies to expand, to import and to do what we need them to do for us to have a robust, thriving, prosperous future for Northern Ireland, that has to be throughout Northern Ireland.

There are references in the draft Programme for Government — I hope that the Member has seen them — to focusing on addressing regional disparities and to ensuring that the programmes, as they roll out, roll out at least equally across Northern Ireland and that we address the particular issues facing our communities, should they be rural or urban, no matter where they are.

I look forward to engaging at the roadshows. I have no doubt that those issues will come up as we get out and about. We look forward to engaging with people about how we can best serve them.

Sinéad McLaughlin (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

I thank the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their statement today. I will lead on from the previous question about regional balance. Regional inequality needs to end. The devastating impact of regional inequality is happening right before our eyes. What steps will you take to ensure that regional balance is a priority for every Department, and, more importantly, how will it be measured?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Thank you for the question. I will build on the previous answer. You can see that regional balance is peppered through the document because the prosperity agenda is for everybody, regardless of where they live. It is really important that we get it right. When we reflect on the economic vision that the Economy Minister set out, in which he talks about four priorities, we see that one of them is regional balance, making sure that we share the prosperity and attract investment into areas outside the greater Belfast area as well as the Belfast area.

It is really important to know, when reflecting on the increased productivity in the economic strategy, that that is about attracting more well-paid jobs that will lift people up. I am confident about the references to the Magee task force, which are about regional balance and ensuring that there is university provision in the north-west. Across the document, you will see a strong and healthy commitment across all Departments to regional balance because the plan is about everybody. It is about lifting everybody up, and it needs to be fair, equitable and shared, and everyone needs to enjoy the growth.

When the Member has a chance to properly reflect on it, she will see that throughout the document. No doubt, as part of our roadshows and going out and about, we will make sure that we are out in all arts and parts engaging with people and making sure that we get the views of people in urban versus rural areas. We need to hear everybody's view and how they feel about the plan. I am confident about the regional balance commitment.

Sian Mulholland (Alliance, North Antrim)

Thank you, First Minister and deputy First Minister, for the release of the draft Programme for Government.

I am fully aware that not every issue can be a priority, but I cannot help but be disappointed that addressing the crippling levels of poverty experienced by more and more people in Northern Ireland was not made a priority, especially given how cross-cutting the issue of poverty is and that the cost of not addressing our levels of poverty puts even more pressure on our financial position.

At first glance, I can see that a fuel poverty strategy is expected in 2025, but I cannot see a specific Executive-led anti-poverty strategy. What are the key actions in the plan that will tackle the issues at the heart of poverty in our societies?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her question. Of course, tackling poverty is important. She will see that, throughout the Programme for Government, we have the aspiration to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential, and that must, of course, mean supporting people and tackling poverty, should that be financial poverty or educational underachievement.

I welcome the actions we have taken so far: £20 million towards tackling educational underachievement. However, we also felt it was important to have key priorities in the Programme for Government to tackle inequalities where they are most acutely felt. For example, on health inequalities, waiting lists and ill health, we know that far more people on lower incomes have chronic illnesses in their early fifties and have worse health outcomes.

I am standing beside the Communities Minister, and I am sure he has heard your question loud and clear. We have a statutory responsibility and obligation to bring forward the anti-poverty strategy. I know that he is actively working on that, and it will align with some of the key priorities identified in the Programme for Government. We have a determination to ensure that, as the First Minister has indicated, everyone is lifted up by tackling such things as affordable and social housing, waiting lists, support for hard-pressed families with affordable childcare, growing the economy and providing better jobs for people, which are all ways to lift people out of poverty. We need to do that collectively as an Executive.

Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chéad Aire agus leis an leas-Chéad Aire as a ráitis ar an Chlár Rialtais nua.

[Translation: I thank the First Minister and the deputy First Minister for their statement on the new Programme for Government.]

I welcome the publication of the document and look forward to the consultation. While the draft document may be a bit light on detail, it identifies most of our biggest problems and demonstrates an ambition to improve in those areas.

On the environment, primacy seems to have been given to Lough Neagh, which I understand. Can I ask and push for the inclusion of a remediation programme for the Mobuoy illegal dump to be at the heart of the programme as well? It is a major issue not just for our environment but for the economic development of the north-west.

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Thanks for that. Lough Neagh has been given a particular focus, given the scale of the challenge that we face there and rightly so.

However, alongside that, there are a number of other actions in the document around climate action. Publishing our first climate action plan will obviously be a welcome development. The environmental improvement plan, which someone mentioned earlier, needs to be published and got out, because that will complement what we are trying to do with the Lough Neagh strategy.

We want to have an integrated approach to water quality, we want to review the energy strategy in 2025 and we need a just transition committee. The raft of things that are there for the climate and energy area is quite strong. I am very conscious of the fact that the Minister himself is looking at the issue of Mobuoy, and we reflected on that last week. I am quite sure that he will have more to say about that in coming days, but I will not steal his thunder.

Nick Mathison (Alliance, Strangford)

I thank the First Minister and the deputy First Minister for bringing the draft Programme for Government to the Assembly. I welcome the commitment to supporting children with special educational needs in the draft PFG. With that in mind, how will you ensure that the vital collaboration that is needed between Departments will be rolled out as part of this Programme for Government, to ensure that Education, Health and Economy genuinely work together in a way that is transformative and not tokenistic or tick-box?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. Even in the past week or so, we have seen how challenging it is for parents and children to get, in a timely way, the special educational needs support that they deserve and absolutely need.

Special educational needs statistics are stark. From 2017-18 to this financial year, there has been a growth of some 147% in demand. That, of course, puts pressure on supply, and the supply has not caught up with that trajectory of demand, so there are big challenges in the area, and that is why it is a priority. That is why we pulled it out: we know and have listened to so many parents and young people going through very difficult circumstances.

Your question pertains more to the transformation and reform piece. That is all about how we work better to tackle these big issues. That is a critical piece in the process that we have. We have not always been the best at delivering what we want to deliver. We can only look, particularly in capital projects, at where there is delay and where something is not delivered, even though there is a collective intention and agreement to do so. Costs can increase dramatically so that people who need those services or use those roads or facilities cannot do so, so the delivery aspect is important. This PFG, for me, is about delivery, delivery, delivery. It is not just about the intention set out in the priorities, but about how we do business, identify the priorities and solutions and make sure that they are rolled out in a truly cross-departmental collaborative way and in a way that meets the outcomes. We should be measuring progress against those outcomes, and this Executive have the ambition to do that.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

From the brief opportunity that we have been afforded to consider the document, it appears to me that there is no mention of either the protocol or the Windsor framework. We cannot claim to be securing our economic future while implementing a border that cuts us off from the rest of our Union and, indeed, the sixth biggest economy in the world. My question to the Minister is this: Stormont came back on the basis that Jeffrey Donaldson told the unionist people that there would be zero checks and zero paperwork when it came to trade between GB and Northern Ireland. That has not happened. What, in this document, aims to deliver those promises that allowed Stormont to return?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I can assure you that this is an Executive document, so it is owned by the four parties of the Executive. I know that you are relatively new to the Chamber, Mr Gaston, but you now have eight weeks to consider the document and you will be able to respond in much more detail than you have the opportunity to today.

The document talks about our economy, growing our economy, the fact that we have a unique selling point, reaching for that opportunity, creating more and better-paid jobs, and regional balance. These are all really positive things that we must reach for. If we are going to lift up everybody in society and create opportunity for everybody, it is important that we grow our economy and do not just focus on the challenges that we have. Of course there are many of those, but there are many more opportunities. The document refers to the fact that we need to reach for those opportunities and grab them on behalf of the people that we all collectively serve.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

Despite today's opening of the Grand Central station in Belfast, government here still has the lowest spend across these islands on public transport. Hundreds less per head is spent here compared with other regions on these islands. The First Minister spoke of the need to be open and transparent. Minister, I ask you and the Executive to be open and transparent. Will you commit to funding public transport to close that gap?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. The affordability of public transport is a really important issue — it is critical to many people, particularly those who do not drive — and cost is a big factor in trying to encourage people to use more sustainable transport. Investment in our public infrastructure and public transport will be focused on more in the investment strategy for Northern Ireland. There will, therefore, be more detail on that, and I look forward to engaging with him on that.

Ideally, of course, you would want our public transport to be more affordable and to bring those costs down, but there is the issue of sustainability. That goes back to the issue around our Budget and the case that we will make to the Chancellor, this Thursday, around the Budget. As indicated, we want to deliver. The draft Programme for Government has ambition, but that ambition can be realised only if we have the right resources — the right funding and Budget — to allow us to do so. We, of course, will try our best to work within the Budget that we have in order to support families throughout Northern Ireland, but we are limited in what we can do with the Budget that we are given. However, as I said, we will be unceasing in making that strong case to ensure that Northern Ireland gets the fair funding that it deserves.

Claire Sugden (Independent, East Londonderry)

First Ministers, I appreciate that we now have a draft Programme for Government, but I remain very disappointed that there is no mention of older people. The recent census said that we are an ageing population, which, in itself, will determine the future of our public services, yet we have not considered that in how we move forward. Why was that very obvious group overlooked in the draft programme?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Thanks to the Member. I know that the Member is passionate about that issue. That is why we are asking you to engage with the draft Programme for Government: help to shape the final version. Everything that is littered across the nine priorities will affect older people; everything that we are trying to do will affect older people. However, it will also affect younger people, so a lot of the issues and priorities are very much cross-cutting. If we need to do something more with regard to referencing older people in particular, let us have that conversation; let us try to shape the end result. There is not a person, particularly in our older population, who will not be impacted on by the issues contained in the nine priorities. The Member is right: we have an ageing demographic. We need to understand that, we need to have public services that can respond to that and we need to have the right supports in place. I am happy to engage with the Member on that issue.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

First Ministers, your draft Programme for Government states:

"Sport can be life-changing and has the potential to build strong relationships across communities."

That, I agree with. You also reference making progress on Casement Park's redevelopment. Wonderful. In your draft Programme for Government statement, you say that you:

"make no apology for being ambitious."

Will you demonstrate your intent? Will you demonstrate your ambition by committing to the completion of Casement Park — a flagship project and new beacon of hope, reconciliation and prosperity for Belfast, the North and this island — in time for Euro 2028?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. As I have said, I am standing beside the Communities Minister who has primary responsibility for that issue. Of course, I jointly lead the Executive, along with the First Minister, and our duty, first and foremost, is to try to ensure that what we do has, at its heart, the issues of affordability, deliverability and value for money. That is a public duty that we have to discharge.

I agree with the Member that sport is something that can change lives for the better. We want to support our amazing sporting clubs throughout Northern Ireland, not just in football but across many other sports. I know that many of them, even in my constituency, are crying out for much-needed funds. I welcome the fact that the Communities Minister has announced The Northern Ireland Football Fund and that he will do his best to go further in providing support and encouraging that vital need in communities. There are many volunteers and young people involved in sport, and it provides health and mental health benefits and builds a sense of community. I absolutely recognise the value of sport, and I welcome the fact that it is referenced in this document, but, as I have said, the key issues of deliverability, affordability and value for money will always be at the heart of what we do in the Executive.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Ladies and gentleman, that concludes questions on the statement. Therefore, as the next item of business in the Order Paper is Question Time, I propose, by leave of the Assembly, to suspend the sitting until 2.00 pm.

The sitting was suspended at 1.55 pm.

On resuming (Mr Speaker in the Chair) —

Oral Answers to Questions — The Executive Office

Órlaithí Flynn (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

1. Ms Flynn asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the ending violence against women and girls strategic framework. (AQO 723/22-27)

Cara Hunter (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

8. Ms Hunter asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline when they intend to publish the summary report of the ending violence against women and girls strategic framework. (AQO 730/22-27)

William Irwin (DUP, Newry and Armagh)

13. Mr Irwin asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the ending violence against women and girls strategic framework. (AQO 735/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 1, 8 and 13 together.

Ending violence against women and girls remains a key priority. We are delighted to say that the Executive approved the strategic framework at their meeting on 5 September. We will provide further information on the framework when it is brought to the Assembly. It will be published along with the first delivery plan and the consultation summary report.

Órlaithí Flynn (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

I thank the deputy First Minister for her response. What work is ongoing to ensure that there is a whole-government approach to tackling violence against girls and women?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her question on this important issue. I know that there has been a lot of anticipation in the sector as it looks forward to the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy being agreed, released and, importantly, implemented. I welcome the fact that the Executive have considered and agreed the domestic and sexual violence strategy, which, of course, will complement and be supplementary to that strategy.

It is important that we have that cross-departmental work. However, this is an issue not just for the Executive Office, the Justice Department and the Health Department but for all of us, and we can only tackle it together. It is not just central government and councils but communities, families, the Churches and schools and the work to identify the issues and risks and tackle this unfortunately all-too-common issue throughout Northern Ireland.

Cara Hunter (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

I am aware that the South's first statutory agency for tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will receive €50 million and have over 35 staff. As it stands, is the funding in the North of Ireland adequate or appropriate to the needs of victims of sexual and domestic violence?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

There will be a range of actions under the Department of Health and the Department of Justice's joint strategy, which was agreed by the Executive so it becomes the Executive's strategy. There will be a range of key actions that involve working with the PSNI and other organisations and through those Departments. The immediate actions have been costed. Likewise, in our delivery plan, there will be key actions on training, providing support for the voluntary and community sector, which works with women who find themselves in those situations, and tackling and changing some of the cultural aspects around the attitudes that need to be addressed.

Of course, our ambition goes well beyond what the budget is. We were able to secure a budget through the June monitoring round and this year's Budget. We want to do more, however, so as soon as we are able to get additional budget, we will certainly increase the number of actions. There is scalability in this. As I said, we have a determination to do what we can even though it is a difficult fiscal environment at the moment.

William Irwin (DUP, Newry and Armagh)

The deputy First Minister will agree that addressing violence against women and girls is vital for a safer society. Can the Minister outline what funding, which she mentioned, is available to ensure that the draft strategic framework can be implemented?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. We were able to secure over £1 million for the immediate actions. Two of the key actions will be around the change fund and the challenge fund and will involve work with the community and voluntary sector in the first instance. We are very aware that great organisations that work in that area already exist, such as Women's Aid and Nexus. They do vital work and have, at times, struggled to secure consistent funding. Those are all issues that we will have to address. We want to support the organisations that are doing that vital work. We want those campaigns. We want to change the social attitudes that can lead to damaging behaviours.

There are stark statistics. Some 19% of police time is spent on domestic abuse crimes, the vast majority of which are committed against women and girls. That is a big problem and a big challenge, and, as I said, we have a determination to tackle it and do what we can, despite the difficult budget situation.

Connie Egan (Alliance, North Down)

I look forward to publication of the strategy next week. Are you able to give any assurances that the community and voluntary sector, which co-designed the strategy and worked hard to input into it, will continue to be involved throughout its delivery?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her question. Absolutely. We will say more about that next week when we officially launch the strategy. It has been a number of years in the making, but it could not have been done without more than 50 partners working in a genuinely collaborative design process. It is the first fully collaborative co-design process in policy development that we have had across any Department, although we have had elements of that before. I pay huge tribute to those people for the volunteer time that they have put in. It is really important that we listen to those who are most impacted and those who work with women and girls in education but also to women and girls who have been touched by abuse and the trauma caused by the activities of others. I am really pleased with the strategy, and I hope that others will be when it is released on Monday. Those organisations will stay involved with the monitoring against delivery.

Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

2. Mr McAleer asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the Programme for Government. (AQO 724/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

We are delighted that, earlier today, we launched our consultation on the draft Programme for Government (PFG). The draft programme sets out our proposed collective priorities for the mandate. A public consultation on the draft Programme for Government will run for eight weeks, and we invite everyone to have their say and get involved. Following the consultation period, we can agree a clear set of priorities for action.

Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

The timing of my question was fortuitous. I note and welcome the cooperation and collaboration that has gone into the draft PFG and is ongoing. Does the deputy First Minister agree that ongoing cooperation and collaboration across all Departments, sectors and interests and, indeed, civic society is crucial to delivery of the PFG?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

Absolutely. We cannot continue to work in silos, not least because that can cause duplication and resources to be wasted at a time when we cannot afford that. This has to be collaborative, cross-departmental and cross-agency, but it has to be done hand in hand with the organisations that roll out the programmes. It has to be done in consultation with and with the consent of the people who are most impacted; it should not be something that is done to them by Departments. We are conscious of that: that is where policy development has got to generally, and that is very much at the heart of the Programme for Government.

If we are going to deliver, we will need to work right across the Northern Ireland Executive. We will look to the Committees and the House to help us to shape some of those policy proposals but also with the monitoring of progress and ensuring delivery on the ground.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

Earlier, deputy First Minister, I asked for specifics on waiting list reductions, but, I am afraid, I did not get them. Having had a little longer to look through the 80-odd-page document and some of the supporting documents, can I ask you to point to a single, specific new target that the Executive have agreed to in the Programme for Government that is measurable and which the public can judge you by?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. It is an important one that provides a good opportunity to clarify the process. At the moment, this is a draft that is asking people what their view is of the prioritisation. Following the finalisation of that prioritisation, a set of measurements will, of course, be put in place to ensure progress. The Member will see that there is a reference towards the end of the document to the "Wellbeing Framework". There will be a set of indicators that will be based on objective and subjective measurements. That will all be set out: it is live online at the moment. Those indicators may change, however, depending on the prioritisation and rightly so. For each finalised priority there will be a set of indicators that will be monitored. Depending on the reporting mechanism, those will be monitored month by month, annually or biannually.

We will monitor those for progress against the outcomes set out. I can assure the Member that there will be that monitoring, that assessment of progress, and a budget attached. However, that will follow the finalisation of those priorities. It would be presumptuous of us to assume that those priorities will simply remain after the consultation process.

Michelle Guy (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

It is crucial for the integrity of the draft Programme for Government, which I welcome, that children and young people are engaged in the consultation. What might actively engaging that cohort look like?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her question. Of course, we want to listen to children and young people. Sometimes, we say that we must listen to them because they are our future. They will point out, quite rightly, that they are our now and that the issues in the Programme for Government impact on them right now, therefore their views on it are very important.

The First Minister and I met the Children's Commissioner last week, and we raised that issue. We will want to do sectoral engagement in particular. We would encourage young people to participate in the whole range of the consultations and to jump online and participate in that way. However, we will have sectoral engagement with young people — and with older people, which was referenced as well — to listen to their issues and views because that is important.

I welcome the fact that we have decided to do a children's rights impact assessment, which is being released as part of this. Again, it will be interesting to hear the views on that to make sure that we have been looking at all the relevant areas that we ought to look at, and if there are any missing, that is, of course, something that we will address during the consultation.

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

3. Mr Kingston asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on securing funding from the Urban Villages initiative for the proposed Westland Community Centre, North Belfast. (AQO 725/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

Executive Office officials have developed a range of options on the future of the Urban Villages programme, along with the proposed inclusion of a small number of additional projects to the current capital plan. In total, 58 capital projects are now complete, including 13 in North Belfast. A further 13 projects are being progressed, while four others are being explored. The projects include shared facilities, parks and public realm opportunities.

The principles for a community centre at Westland have been proven and, as the project develops, TEO officials, with Belfast City Council, the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, will continue to support and encourage the Westland Community Group to develop its capacity and programmes. Westland Community Group has invited us to meet to discuss the community centre, and I hope to take up that offer in the near future.

We look forward to updating Members once we have considered the capital plan and how best to continue with our aim of promoting thriving places and achieving the best outcome for our citizens.

Brian Kingston (DUP, Belfast North)

I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer and for agreeing to meet the Westland Community Group. It is an active and energetic group. Indeed, it has another community fun day arranged for this Saturday, which would be an opportunity to visit.

The previous community centre was a prefab building and was itself second-hand. Since it fell into disrepair, as the deputy First Minister will be aware, the group has been campaigning day and night for a new purpose-built centre. The only thing that I would say would be to urge the deputy First Minister and First Minister to push their officials and the Urban Villages programme to move the project forward to actualisation in as short a timescale as possible.

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his follow-up question. Yes, absolutely. I recall speaking to local representatives and the community group, back in the social investment fund days, about the new community centre. There is a real need there and a drive to secure that new building, so I am very pleased that we have confirmation that the Urban Villages project will be able to support that. Obviously, there are a number of processes to be gone through with regard to the business case and exactly what the centre will look like, and in supporting the community group in terms of capacity for the new centre.

I can assure the Member that the first phase of Urban Villages projects is due to come to an end in the next number of years, and we want Westland to be part of that first cohort and completed by that date. There is an urgency now. It is in the last number of projects coming through the business case process. Certainly, I will do everything that I can, and I look forward to visiting, perhaps with the Member, the Westland Community Group.

Gerry Kelly (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an leasChéad-Aire

[Translation: I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer]

, especially around what has been done through Urban Villages. Will she outline what has been achieved through revenue funding in North Belfast?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. I mentioned the 13 capital projects, but, of course, the revenue schemes have proven to be very successful, with a very healthy uptake. Since the inception of the Urban Villages programme in 2016, over 34,000 people from the North Belfast community have engaged with or benefited from it. A total of 534 training places and 502 workshops have been delivered. Ninety-eight per cent of participants reported that the project had helped them, so that is a really good evaluation for those projects.

You will be aware that the Urban Villages project was very much about doing things differently and really getting down into the community and asking people in the community about the challenges that they face and what issues they would prioritise and then working with communities to find local solutions to local problems. That is why it has been so successful in getting that level of buy-in and participation from the local community. Those are definitely lessons that we need to learn, and hopefully we can move forward with them in the roll-out of other programmes, including the new Together: Building a United Community revised strategy.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

I call Mark Durkan. I am interested to hear what the Member has to say about North Belfast.

Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

Have any lessons been learned in Urban Villages from the Peacemakers Museum fiasco in Derry, where the Executive Office has admitted failures in due diligence, allowing that project to use and abuse the name and image of John Hume against the express wishes of the Hume family?

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

We will move on to the next question, because that does not relate to the original question.

Diane Dodds (DUP, Upper Bann)

4. Mrs Dodds asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister what consideration has been given to supporting and promoting the agri-food sector, including the primary producer, in the forthcoming Programme for Government. (AQO 726/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

We are delighted that, earlier today, we launched the consultation on the draft Programme for Government. We are pleased to say that it will plan to support our agri-food sector. The industry is vital to our economy and our rural communities. We will work with our agri sector to support primary production and ensure food security by providing clarity on ammonia controls within planning and promoting sustainable environmental practices.

Diane Dodds (DUP, Upper Bann)

I thank the deputy First Minister. I must say that I am disappointed overall that the AERA Minister has not had a greater focus on farming, rural communities and the agri-food industry. Seventy to seventy-five per cent of our land mass is managed by farmers. We need them to provide good environmental outcomes. In 2021, £4·9 billion —

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

We need a question, Mrs Dodds.

Diane Dodds (DUP, Upper Bann)

— of value added was through agri-food. What does that say about the AERA Minister's priority on farming, and will the First Minister and deputy First Minister work with us to ensure that those areas are included meaningfully in the Programme for Government?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her important question about this really critical industry for Northern Ireland. We have a really strong farming community that we all ought to be very proud of in Northern Ireland. Our agri-food products are world-leading and world-class, and that comes from, of course, the application and hard work of so many of our farmers across rural communities. We need to be champions of that.

I spoke recently at the Ulster Farmers' Union AGM and made it clear that, in the Executive, I am here to be a champion for farmers and for our farming community and to rightfully raise the important issues that they have. We want to support them and need to support them, and that is particularly acute at a time of global supply chain insecurity in relation to our food. Locally, we have great nutritious and high-quality food that is produced in Northern Ireland because of our hard-working farmers, and, in the Programme for Government process, we will want to engage with the rural community, our farmers and the agri-food sector to make sure that the Programme for Government fully reflects their importance to our economy.

Nicola Brogan (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

Does the Minister agree that promoting regional balance should be a key element in the delivery of the Programme for Government?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her question. Absolutely, we want to deliver for everyone throughout Northern Ireland. In the draft Programme for Government, we want to deliver through that prioritisation, recognising that we cannot do everything in the time frame that we have and with the Budget that we have, but we believe that the nine priorities in the draft document will make a really positive difference to the lives of the vast majority of people throughout Northern Ireland. We want to listen to people's views on that, but it is critical that all nine priorities benefit people equally throughout Northern Ireland and that we take into account the particular needs and circumstances of rural communities and those outside the greater Belfast area.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

5. Ms Bradshaw asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister when amendments to the ministerial code, expected within 100 days of the restoration of the Assembly, will be made. (AQO 727/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

First, if I may, I will explain that, when the First Minister and I took office, we agreed to provide the Committee with a copy of the first-day brief that officials had prepared before we were appointed. That brief contained references to decisions that, officials anticipated, would be put to Ministers in the first 100 days of the new Administration. They were not commitments given by Ministers. There was some confusion, because the Member referenced it a number of times, and I asked where it had come from. It came from a first-day brief to the Committee and to her as Chair, but it was put together before we were in post. It is and was about what officials anticipated would be put to Ministers. It is important that we clarify that.

In that context, we can confirm that officials are preparing advice to us on revisions to the ministerial code, principally to reflect the amendments made by the Executive Committee (Functions) Act (Northern Ireland) 2020.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

Thank you, deputy First Minister. The renewable heat incentive (RHI) inquiry closed its offices in June 2020, yet, fundamentally, four years on, we still see a lot of outstanding work to implement its recommendations. When will the public be able to have confidence that the recommendations on the code of conduct for Ministers and special advisers will be fully implemented?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

That work is under way, and we expect a submission very shortly.

Kate Nicholl (Alliance, Belfast South)

6. Ms Nicholl asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the operation of the Victims' Payments Board. (AQO 728/22-27)

Jonathan Buckley (DUP, Upper Bann)

10. Mr Buckley asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline the actions they are taking to streamline the application process for victims and survivors applying to the Troubles permanent disablement payment scheme. (AQO 732/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 6 and 10 together.

As of 2 September, more than £55 million has been paid out by the Victims' Payments Board to eligible applicants since the scheme opened for applications on 31 August 2021. The payments recognise the suffering of those living with permanent injuries.

We understand that there are concerns about the length of time that it can take to process an application. Each application is unique and with its complexities, including the historic nature of much of the evidence required to support the applications. The board is working closely with the victims' groups to keep the scheme under review and look at ways of improving the throughput of cases. We are sure that the board is doing what it can at the moment to minimise delays in the determination process, and we welcome the ongoing efforts to increase the pace at which applications are processed. That is evidenced by the significant year-on-year increase in the amount paid to victims, with that trend continuing into the current year.

We wrote to the Secretary of State in April and May in support of the extension to the backdating deadline, and we were pleased that the deadline has been extended to align with the scheme closing date in August 2026.

Kate Nicholl (Alliance, Belfast South)

Thank you, deputy First Minister, for your answer. One of my constituents has been waiting over 1,000 days for a decision on their application for the Troubles permanent disablement scheme. Every time I write to ask about that, I am told that improvements are being made, but, frankly, he is losing hope. What specific improvements have been made in the past six months, and what hope will there be for the people who are waiting that the improvements will be made?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for her follow-up question. My heart goes out to those who are waiting for that much-needed support. There was a huge battle to secure the scheme and get the redress put in place to support people who are living day in, day out with injuries from the past. We want the scheme to work, but, as the Member will be aware, there are a lot of complexities with many of the cases. The scheme has been designed so that, when a person puts in an application, it is not up to them to collect all the information from the statutory agencies. I assure the Member that we have been working with the Public Record Office, the Department of Health and the PSNI to support them with historic records. Many of the incidents are historic and could date back 30- or 40-plus years.

I also assure the Member that we have conducted a business consultancy service review of operational effectiveness and performance. The process aspect of that is to take a look at all the processes involved and make recommendations. That has been done, and we continuously look at how we can speed up that process. We have also been working with victims' groups to improve the experience and the communication, because that is a big aspect of it. If the process takes that long, it is important that people understand where their application is and what will happen with it. You will be aware of the review that the Secretary of State has just carried out of how the process is operated. The situation is far from perfect and is frustrating, but we are doing what we can to speed things up.

Jonathan Buckley (DUP, Upper Bann)

The Troubles permanent disablement payment scheme continues to be a vital lifeline for many people who were caught up in the absolute barbarity of the Northern Ireland Troubles. That barbarity was brought into sharp focus recently by the dig for Captain Robert Nairac in a bog in County Louth. Does the deputy First Minister agree that it is vital that anybody who holds information on not only Captain Nairac's remains but those of others of the disappeared, such as Columba McVeigh and Joe Lynskey, come forward to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) and allow those families to give their loved ones the Christian burials that they deserve?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

There is a particular cruelty in the loss of a loved one when people do not know what happened to their remains and that really important aspect of having a burial or funeral and to have a place that they can visit that loved one is taken from them. That is a particular cruelty that ought to be addressed.

I agree with the Member and appeal to anybody with information about any of the disappeared or, indeed, any of the violent acts of the Troubles to come forward and give that information to the PSNI. There is still an opportunity to get justice on the basis of new evidence. I encourage all to come forward and give families and those who are suffering what they need and what they should have, which is that respect and closure.

Linda Dillon (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

As the deputy First Minister said, the cases are complex and historical. I have two questions. First, can we get information in writing about what exactly has been done to speed up the process? Secondly, given that they are historical cases and that many of the people affected are nearing the end of their life, can we get some reassurances about what is being done to ensure that those people are prioritised in the process?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

Yes, I will be happy to write to the Member on that, but I can tell her that the key actions that we have taken are to have a business consultancy service review of operational effectiveness and performance and implementing the learning from that; to explore improvements to the overall victim journey through Capita's assessment process; to hold workshops with victims' groups on improving that process; and to work with the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission (NIJAC) to bring the board up to full complement. A regional model for gathering secondary care evidence is working well, and engagement continues with GPs and the MoD to address issues around medical reports and evidence gathering.

You will appreciate that, once the panel reaches out to some of those organisations and asks for information, they are, unfortunately, subject to the delays that those teams experience. Every organisation is pushed because of its resources, and it is no different in this case. Organisations generally have a team working on retrieving the historical records. That takes time, given their sheer scale. However, I welcome the fact that over £55 million has been paid out. We expect that to roll forward and to continue to speed up, given the changes that have happened.

Timothy Gaston (Traditional Unionist Voice, North Antrim)

My office has been contacted by victims who have lost loved ones and been denied a pension because they did not see the body in the aftermath of the attack. We have a situation where widows are penalised because their loved one came back to them in a closed coffin. Surely that cannot be right.

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

The scheme is for the severely injured rather than the bereaved. I, too, have spoken to many of those widows and to those who have been bereaved, and I know that it is a source of frustration that no scheme is available to support those who lost loved ones during the Troubles. There will be people who have had mental and physical injuries due to the death of a loved one, and those people are being considered through the scheme.

It is not ideal at all that there is that criterion. I have spoken to people directly who feel that it is very unfair; it is simply not the way in which psychological injury works at times. However, there is an appeal mechanism, and I encourage people to appeal. In the meantime, we need to focus on how we better support those who are bereaved and try to put in place a particular scheme to support them, as opposed to many having to look at that scheme, which is for severely injured people, and finding that the criterion is not the fit that they need it to be.

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

We now move to topical questions.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

T1. Mr O'Toole asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, in light of the fact that a Lough Neagh action plan was published some weeks ago, albeit with mostly non-binding actions, to state whether, when finalised, the Programme for Government will commit to the creation of an independent environmental protection agency, especially because, although the draft Programme for Government talks about targets, for the life of him he cannot find many binding targets or clear commitments therein. (AQT 481/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. The draft Programme for Government contains nine areas of priority, which outline a number of key actions. It also outlines areas on which, although there is not yet Executive agreement, we propose to bring forward actions. It is important to emphasise that the issues that have not yet been agreed by the Executive will still need to come to the Executive for agreement. There are references to each of the priorities. That is what is out for consultation. Once those are agreed, and once prioritisation is agreed, we will set out how we hope to achieve significant year-on-year progress against those nine priority areas. That will follow the consultation and expand on some of the detail in the draft document at the moment.

Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

We are now getting to the heart of it: clearly, in certain specific and very important areas, there is not Executive agreement. That is fine, but it has taken us a few hours to get to that point.

Something that is not mentioned at all in the draft Programme for Government is the language commissioner and the associated strategy and work. After consultation, and if the Irish language bodies and other interested parties give very strong representations that they would like to see that included, will it be included in an updated Programme for Government?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

It feels a little bit like Groundhog Day, only without any of the fun or entertainment; just relentless negativity. You can have opposition for opposition's sake, or you can have opposition that is constructive. I have looked at the document that he has produced; there is, indisputably, significantly more detail in the document that we have produced.

We are asking for people's views on our nine key priorities. The Member said just a few days ago that a good Programme for Government should have a small number of priority areas. We have set out very clearly that the Programme for Government will not reference absolutely everything that the Executive and Departments are going to do. We have already made it clear that we have agreed the process in relation to the issue that he referenced. We are waiting for a further submission to be made on the detail of the appointment processes, but that is now in legislation. The commitment is there, and we have spoken about it to the House. There will be many hundreds of other areas and issues that will be dealt with in Departments, or cross-departmentally, or which will be brought to the Executive over the course of the next three years. The Executive's Programme for Government focuses, as he recommended, on a small number of key priorities, which will be measured and will have an attached budget.

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

T2. Mr Butler asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on any recent discussions or meetings regarding the Maze/Long Kesh site, which, following the deputy First Minister's mention of Groundhog Day in her answer to the leader of the Opposition, is his Groundhog Day question. (AQT 482/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. That is an issue that will have to be discussed in due course. We had the opportunity to speak with the board. A new board has been put in place, which was inevitable, due to the length of time that the previous board served. As I have indicated, anything that happens, or is proposed to happen, on the Maze/Long Kesh site has to be done with full understanding of and sensitivity to the views and needs of victims and survivors, because they are the people who are most impacted by some of the events on that site.

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer, and I appreciate the answer. As a former prison officer who lost around 32 colleagues throughout the Troubles and in the history of Northern Ireland, I think that that is a good answer. Is there a commitment to unlock the potential of what is probably the most significant development site in Northern Ireland?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

The site is in Lagan Valley, of course, and I would love to unlock its potential. I can say very clearly that, in my role as deputy First Minister, I will never sign up to or agree to anything that would cause offence or hurt to victims and survivors, or risk glorification of any act of violence or terrorism on that site. Those are very much the parameters within which we will operate. Of course, I would like to unlock its potential, but some very good things already happen on the site. I have mentioned before the incredible growth of the Ulster Aviation Society and the Balmoral show, which, I know, many of you have taken the opportunity to visit. Really great activities happen there, and we need to move forward with discussion and care.

David Brooks (DUP, Belfast East)

T3. Mr Brooks asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister, while welcoming, as the Ministers have done, the focus in the draft Programme for Government on growing the economy, to state what it contains on global connectivity and to encourage further route development from our airports. (AQT 483/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I hope that the Member has had the opportunity to look at the draft Programme for Government, where he will see a number of relevant references. In the general sense, that connectivity is so important to growing our economy. There are specific references, including to looking at how we increase the connectivity and linkages and at the barriers to doing that. It also looks at some very exciting and ambitious ideas, such as extension of pre-clearance in Dublin and trying to reinstate the direct route to the US. The extension of pre-clearance would encourage that; it would all, of course, have to work in parallel and in tandem. We are acutely aware of that, and the Union connectivity report highlighted some of those issues. We will move forward with that, including in the investment strategy discussions.

David Brooks (DUP, Belfast East)

The US has been a vital economic partner for Northern Ireland in foreign investment, and we have our cultural linkages through the Ulster-Scots and Irish diasporas. As we approach the 250th anniversary of United States independence, perhaps the first step to looking at pre-clearance should be to re-establish a transatlantic flight from an airport here. Does she agree that that is a worthy goal that we should work towards?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

Absolutely. The loss of that route was huge. The options are still there, and we will pursue all the possibilities that are on the table to try to reinstate it. There will be no point in having pre-clearance if we do not have a direct flight, so trying to secure interest in that direct flight route is important. We have huge foreign direct investment from the US to Northern Ireland. When we speak to US investors, we hear that they want to invest more, and they raise the issue of connectivity and the direct flight. It is a priority for us in trying to push ahead. If we could secure that, it would be hugely beneficial to our business and tourism sectors.

Gerry Kelly (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

T4. Mr Kelly asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether they agree that the three-year economic business plan launched by the Economy Minister today can be a great game-changer for the local economy and a catalyst for creating more jobs. (AQT 484/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for his question. As he will be aware, I was somewhat involved in the Programme for Government preparations and discussions this morning, and then I was in the Chamber this afternoon, so I have not had the opportunity to look at that consultation. However, in line with the Programme for Government, growing our economy is absolutely key. We talk very much about the prosperity agenda. We have had 25 years since the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, as amended by St Andrews, in which we have been able to secure peace, if not always stability, and significant improvements and growth in our economy. Looking to the next 25 years, we really need to focus on the prosperity agenda. There is no doubt that having happy, thriving people, communities, families and individuals is the best way of securing a better and brighter future for Northern Ireland.

Gerry Kelly (Sinn Féin, Belfast North)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I thank the Minister. I was not trying to take her by surprise, but, on the basis of talking about the future, does the deputy First Minister agree that the Executive and the Assembly parties must remain united in pressing the British Government for fair funding based on need to ensure that people and communities are supported?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

Absolutely. We have made clear to the UK Government that we are prepared to play our part in looking at the sustainability of our Budget, to take sensible decisions on the way forward, to look at transformation in order to make our public services, our Departments and their budgets much more sustainable and efficient. We will do that, but that requires investment. You have to invest to save. That is incredibly difficult to do when the Budget is as fiscally tight as it is at the moment.

We will be making that case robustly and strongly to the Chancellor on Thursday when we meet her. We will be making the case that Northern Ireland requires investment and transformation, support for its front-line public services and the ability for us to reach the ambition as set out in the Programme for Government today.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

T5. Mr Carroll asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether they agree that the £260 million announced by the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs a matter of days ago was a missed opportunity not to have strong environmental standards attached to money going out to farmers, given that agri-food was mentioned earlier, and we have to draw a distinction between small farmers and corporate farming conglomerates like Moy Park and others who are breaching environmental standards. (AQT 485/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

The Member will see from the Programme for Government that the input from the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has a lot of focus on environmental issues and targets, but it would be absolutely remiss of us not to recognise the incredibly important role that farmers and our agri-food businesses play in Northern Ireland and that they need to be supported. The majority of our farmers, producers and agri-food companies are small to medium-sized businesses, creating employment for local people, and, as I said, producing high-quality, nutritious, local food. They need to be supported, and they should be supported. We should all be champions of that, and we should all be very proud of our agri-food and farming community here.

Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance, Belfast West)

My supplementary question is on a different matter. Minister, on the winter fuel payment, you said that you are meeting the Prime Minister on Thursday. Will you tell him your concern about more pensioners dying this winter as a result of the cruel cut to the winter fuel payment?

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Supplementaries are supposed to be linked to the original question. We will move on to Baron Elliott.

Tom (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

T6. Lord Elliott asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the proposed development of a new centre for the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) in Lisnaskea to service innocent victims in the west of the Province. (AQT 486/22-27)

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

I had the opportunity to go down and speak with the South East Fermanagh Foundation just a couple of weeks ago to get an update about the centre. I visited its premises, and there is an absolute need. It does fantastic work with victims and survivors, not just in the Member's constituency but throughout Northern Ireland. It also has a presence in my constituency, based in Lisburn. It supports so many thousands of victims and survivors, so it needs new premises that are fit for purpose.

I am pleased that we have agreed a victims' strategy, which will come to the Executive shortly for agreement. Part of that is a commitment to look at a capital fund to support victims' and survivors' organisations. It has been some considerable years since there has been a capital fund to work with victims' and survivors' organisations, so, hopefully, there will be some further support. The site is still owned by the Department of Education, so the Minister of Education will work with me and SEFF to try to progress that important scheme.

Tom (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the deputy First Minister for that. Can she confirm that capital development for SEFF will be part of that new strategy?

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

Any capital scheme will be open for application, but, in my view, the capital scheme must be capable of looking at some significant capital works. A number of our bigger victims' and survivors' groups will have a capital need. That will be dependent on budget, and we hope that those timescales will meet the needs, but I know that there is an urgent need with SEFF, and we are happy to work with it to try to identify alternative funding options that can be brought forward sooner rather than later.

As I said, the need is there. SEFF has been working on the project for a long time.

I know that the First Minister and the then First Minister, Arlene Foster, did a lot of work, went down to visit and made a commitment to the business case. We will look at that again and see how we can help to move that forward.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

T7. Dr Aiken asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether the Brussels office has sufficient resources to deal with the tsunami of European rules and regulations that is coming in our direction. (AQT 487/22-27)

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

You have 20 seconds, deputy First Minister.

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Lagan Valley)

OK. We continually assess the needs in any of those offices. The Member is absolutely right: there is a whole swathe of new responsibilities and new areas to be looked at. There is no doubt that there is a pressure there on staffing time and the capability to assess all that.

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice

Edwin Poots (DUP, Belfast South)

Question 13 has been withdrawn.

Diane Forsythe (DUP, South Down)

1. Ms Forsythe asked the Minister of Justice for an update on her work to strengthen protections against online abuse. (AQO 737/22-27)

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

Whilst telecommunications legislation, including the regulation of social media platforms, is a reserved matter, my Department has sought to take a proactive approach to supporting online safety. I sought to influence the content of the Online Safety Act 2023, urging that more be done to address the lack of accountability of anonymous account holders, which is a key issue when seeking to prevent and detect online harms and offences. Recently, I have also met Ofcom representatives to get an update on the implementation of the Online Safety Act and the plans for it to be put into practice.

In addition, the Member will be aware that, previously, I held a round-table forum to take views on tackling online abuse and intimidation, particularly in the light of incidents during the last Assembly elections. In the previous Assembly mandate, I brought forward legislation that strengthened existing law and introduced new offences such as stalking, upskirting, downblousing and cyber-flashing. Those offences have added real, tangible and valuable protections against both online and offline abuse.

I am also mindful of the dangers that are associated with online radicalisation. Young people, in particular, are at risk of being radicalised through access to harmful online content. I am engaged with law enforcement partners about what we can do to address that risk.

A criminal justice response alone cannot improve online safety. We must take a holistic approach that is focused on prevention and education, as set out in the cross-Executive online safety strategy, which has been put in place to assist children and young people to participate in the online world in a positive, safe and responsible way.

Diane Forsythe (DUP, South Down)

I thank the Minister for her answer and her continued work on the issue. As she mentioned, and as we all know, online abuse starts early in these times where children cannot escape it. Cyberbullying causes huge devastation in schools and society. The Education Minister has introduced a pilot scheme for magnetic pouches in schools to address the impact of phones on children. Does the Minister agree that that is an opportunity for her to work with the Education Minister and support his initiative to help to address cyberbullying and online abuse in schools?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

I am very happy to support any Minister who is dealing with issues of cyberbullying and online harassment, whether in schools or elsewhere. The Member will be aware, however, that I have serious concerns about whether it is necessary to spend £250,000 in order to do so when most schools already have both policy and practice in place to deal with those issues.

Tom (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the Minister for the update. Is the Minister working with other jurisdictions to try to cut out and stamp out online bullying? Is there any cooperation from the owners of websites?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

First of all, if I may, I congratulate the lord on his elevation. I think that it is the first opportunity that he has had to ask a question in this House on that basis.

I am working very closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on the work that it is doing, and with the Home Office on the work that it is doing on radicalisation as well as bullying. Recently, I met my Scottish counterpart to discuss some of those issues, including online safety. The bottom line is that the various platforms have various degrees of engagement, it would be fair to say. Some take a slightly more radical view and view it as essentially a free-for-all, where all is permitted to be said and nothing is out of bounds, whilst others, I think, try to more robustly enforce some kind of community standards.

For me, the key is that, at times, self-regulation is no regulation, in many cases. Certainly, part of my concern is that, with self-regulation of those platforms, anything that causes controversy also drives traffic on the site and advertising revenue and is therefore unlikely to be curtailed by the people who are responsible.

Cara Hunter (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

On reflection, the 2022 Assembly election was a prime example of what happens when misogyny meets the misuse of technology, so I welcome the Minister's answers. What conversations has she had with the Electoral Commission about social media abuse and how that can impact on getting more women into politics? Has she had discussions with the social media giants about that abuse?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

I have discussed that with representative bodies of the social media companies, and I am concerned about it. I know from personal experience of women who were interested in getting involved in politics but took a cursory glance through some of our collective social media threads and decided that the level of abuse was intolerable and that they would not expose themselves and their families to it. It is a real issue, and we lose out on a significant talent pool because people feel intimidated and threatened and are worried about their families in that context.

I have not had a discrete conversation about it with the Electoral Commission, but I have spoken informally about the issue to some of the Electoral Commissioners, because they approached me and asked specifically about the impact that it is having on political discourse. Not all of the traffic is driven by legitimate actors. A number of them are not local people criticising our local politicians but are funded from rather nefarious sources, and there seems to be a drive to attack those who speak up for democratic norms in order to undermine them and to intimidate women who try to speak up and raise issues of misogyny, sexism and other forms of hate.

It is important — I reflected on this in a recent interview that I did with a young researcher who is looking into this — that, in the context of Northern Ireland, with all the division that we have, we can show a united front when it comes to that kind of abuse. Irrespective of the party political views of the Member who is being attacked, if people are being attacked because of who they are, how they look or the fact that they are a woman or have any other defining characteristic, we need to stand united and say that it is unacceptable.

Eóin Tennyson (Alliance, Upper Bann)

Is there additional legislation that can be used to tackle those who commit offences in Northern Ireland?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

There is. Many behaviours that constitute criminal offending are treated in the same manner, regardless of whether they are carried out offline or online. The provisions of the Online Safety Act 2023 create a range of offences that can be used to tackle and prosecute offensive online behaviour. Additional legislation includes the Protection from Harassment (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2016, the Protection from Stalking Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, the Communications Act 2003 and the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. It is important to recognise that, for example, stirring up hatred is already an offence under the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987. Whilst that may be a dated provision, it is, nevertheless, one that can still be applied and ought to be operated where appropriate.

Cathy Mason (Sinn Féin, South Down)

2. Mrs Mason asked the Minister of Justice for an update on her Department's input into the ending violence against women and girls strategic framework. (AQO 738/22-27)

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

Violence against women and girls is wholly abhorrent. The stark reality is that, in August, we saw two murders and one attempted murder of women in Northern Ireland in a single week. That is shocking, and we have a collective responsibility to take action. My Department is fully supportive of the ending violence against women and girls strategy, which is, at my request, led by the Executive Office. It was agreed by the Executive last week, and I understand that plans are under way for its full publication. I recognise the key contribution that Justice can make in reducing risk, enhancing protections, improving victim confidence in the justice system and holding perpetrators to account when they offend.

My Department has supported the strategy’s development and played an active role in the co-design process. The Minister of Health and I also plan to publish a new domestic and sexual abuse strategy in the coming weeks. That is a gender-inclusive strategy that recognises the impact on male as well as female victims. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by domestic and sexual abuse, however, so the strategy's implementation will also directly support the delivery of outcomes under the ending violence against women and girls strategy.

Cathy Mason (Sinn Féin, South Down)

I thank the Minister for her answer. Minister, in conjunction with that, what work is ongoing between your Department and the Education Minister on ensuring that any relevant parts of the ending violence against women and girls framework are rolled out across the education system?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

Ultimately, responsibility for cross-departmental working on the ending violence against women and girls strategy falls to the Executive Office Ministers. The First and deputy First Minister will take forward the action plan, which they also hope to publish next week, and it will include the contributions that individual Departments can make.

On the domestic abuse and sexual abuse strategy, my Department has taken other actions to protect victims of violence, such as Operation Encompass, which your colleague Linda Dillon championed when she was on the Justice Committee. That has been very effective in providing better protections and wrap-around support for children who are affected by domestic abuse. We continue to work with the Department of Education on those projects. I look forward to further opportunities to do so, because education is absolutely crucial to changing attitudes. By the time that my Department gets involved, victims have already been created. The further upstream we can go to change attitudes, the less victimisation will occur.

Joanne Bunting (DUP, Belfast East)

The majority of violence against women is perpetrated by men, and men with problems seldom seek help or talk about the issues that they are facing. What work is being done to engage and educate men on those issues and the things that they face that lead them to such behaviours?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

That is a really important point, because many of the men who are engaged in those behaviours have also been victims of abuse, often as children, and have been exposed to domestic violence in the home. Many of them view that as a normal part of an adult relationship. Therefore, the earlier that we can do the education piece and talk about what a healthy relationship and respect look like, the better it will be for changing those attitudes. We all wish that every child grew up in a home where perfect behaviour between parents in an adult relationship is properly modelled, but, unfortunately, that is not the case. Therefore, if people model their behaviour on their parents', very often they will perpetuate the tragedies of the past.

We work with perpetrators. For example, when we do rehabilitation work, whether in prisons or in the community, with those who have already been found guilty, we will focus on the nature of their offending and the reasons for their offending, and we will take a trauma-informed approach to the work. That already happens.

Also, before people have been convicted of an offence but where complaints have been made, we offer them the opportunity to voluntarily engage with perpetrator and education programmes in order to try to improve things. Performance is much better when someone voluntarily engages with such programmes, but the most important part is catching those people early enough in the system to prevent serious harm. Where it works, it is to everyone's advantage, because it may mean that the perpetrator can go on to have happy healthy relationships in the future, which is to the benefit of everyone in society, not just their current partner.

Robbie Butler (UUP, Lagan Valley)

What will the Minister do to protect female prison officers, who are often subject to threats of sex-based violence from prisoners, given that the psychological effect is not captured in the staff handbook and sick leave cannot be granted to those women?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

That is a very important point, and it speaks to a recent conversation that I had not just with prison officers but with police officers about the level of abuse that is shown towards people in public service. It is almost taken as read that that is a norm when it should be the exception and treated seriously. If people are engaged in that kind of behaviour, particularly threats of sexual violence or racial abuse, they should be prosecuted. We have to take a zero tolerance approach in the prisons. The fact that somebody is in prison does not mean they cannot offend in that setting. We need to treat that as seriously as we treat violence against the police and others who provide a public service.

One of the sentencing areas that I hope to bring forward in this session is an aggravator model to protect those who deliver a public service or are public servants. I hope that the aggravator model will allow us to reflect in sentencing the seriousness of threatening a prison officer, police officer, member of the fire service, shopworker, bus driver or whoever it might be. Making those threats is very serious, and making threats that would not be acceptable outside those environments to people who are working in the public sector should not be more tolerable; it should be less tolerable. Those threats affect those people's ability to deliver to and for society. The aggravator model will send out a very strong message.

John Blair (Alliance, South Antrim)

I welcome the progress on the ending violence against women and girls strategic framework. I am also grateful for the information that the Minister has given us today on her Department's work on a domestic and sexual abuse strategy.

I am keen to hear more about that. Does the Minister know whether funding will be forthcoming for that strategy?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

As we have gathered from the announcement today on the Programme for Government, funding remains the most challenging issue that faces the Executive. It is particularly challenging in the Department of Justice and, indeed, the Department of Health, and it is a shared strategy.

Funding and affordability issues remain challenging, and I cannot excuse the fact that that is the case. We will continue to have impact on the scale and pace of delivery within the strategy. However, we have looked at the statutory and contractual commitments and prioritised those so that we can make progress and try to create a programme around the domestic and sexual abuse strategy that is scalable, depending on the funding that is made available to us. However, if we are to recognise the seriousness of the issue — that people are losing their lives as a result of domestic and sexual abuse and that people's lives are being irreparably damaged as a result — we have to let our money follow where our good intentions lead.

Liz Kimmins (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)

3. Ms Kimmins asked the Minister of Justice to outline the expected legislative changes arising from the sentencing Bill. (AQO 739/22-27)

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

The sentencing Bill will deliver on a number of recommendations arising from my Department's public consultation on sentencing policy. That will include a statement of the principles and purposes of sentencing; provision to allow further use of community sentences; statutory starting points for life sentence tariff calculation; expansion and simplification of the current unduly lenient sentence referral provisions; creation of a new offence of assaulting those providing a service to the public or performing a public duty; creation of a statutory aggravator for vulnerable victims; and increasing maximum penalties for offences causing death by dangerous driving. The Bill will also include measures to encourage the disclosure of the location of victims’ remains, to be known as "Charlotte’s law", and, as indicated in my written ministerial statement this morning, it will include provision for a statutory aggravator for hate crime.

Liz Kimmins (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)

I thank the Minister for her answer. I note that, in the last week, the Lady Chief Justice has expressed her disappointment that the broadcasting of court proceedings will not be implemented in this mandate. I therefore ask the Minister why that could not be included in the sentencing Bill as it is important, particularly around transparency and public confidence.

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

It is important, and it is something that I, too, would like to see. A difficulty that we have is limited resource in the Department and in the Office of the Legislative Counsel for drafting commitments. There is also a challenge in the development of policy in the area. For example, when it comes to the issue of what would be filmed in court, the current view of the Lady Chief Justice is that it would be in relation to Court of Appeal judgements and rulings. However, you will be aware that we saw in England recently, very powerfully, that sentencing remarks are also filmed there. Whilst the pilot looked only at Court of Appeal judgements and rulings, we would want to take a more holistic approach. We would not want to repeal the current rule, which says that all filming in a court is illegal, without knowing particularly the detail of what needs to be done.

One option that I had explored to expedite this is that we could put the repeal, if you like, on ice in primary legislation, as well as taking regulation powers, but only commence it at the point where the regulations were developed and then engage with the sector on that basis. I was advised that that was perhaps not good practice in legislation, which is why we did not proceed down that route, but there may be some things that we can do, even over the course of this mandate, certainly to develop the policy to support that change.

Paula Bradshaw (Alliance, Belfast South)

Thank you, Minister, for outlining what will be in the sentencing Bill. I am sure that a lot of different sections of society will be delighted to see the different aspects included in it. Can you please outline when the Bill will be introduced?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

We anticipate that the Bill will be introduced later in 2025. That will depend on the progress of earlier Assembly business that is going through at the moment. In the next few weeks, I hope to introduce my mixed content, miscellaneous provisions Bill — the modernisation Bill. The sentencing Bill will be the second Bill of the mandate, and then my intention is to have a third Bill that will relate to victims.

An Executive paper is being prepared by my officials to seek Executive approval for the policy content and drafting of the Bill during this term, so that we can get that under way as soon as possible.

John Stewart (UUP, East Antrim)

Minister, the public has lost confidence in the sentencing system, particularly the pitiful sentences for crimes of a sexual nature against women, girls and young people. What more can your Department do to restore public confidence?

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

First, that was not consulted on in the sentencing review that was undertaken. Most sentencing in Northern Ireland is based on guideline cases and sentencing guidelines, which are a matter for the judiciary, not the Department. We have limited scope, other than in legislation, to set maximums; the rest is left to judicial discretion. What we have been able to do — I hope that it has shifted the dial with regard to confidence in the justice system in these matters — is work with the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), the judiciary and, in particular, the PSNI on our response to domestic and sexual violence and violence against women and girls. I hope that the strategy that will be laid out on behalf of the Executive in the coming days will further reinforce the fact that the Executive take a no-tolerance approach to violence against women and girls. I hope that that is a message that will be well received by the judiciary.

Cheryl Brownlee (DUP, East Antrim)

4. Ms Brownlee asked the Minister of Justice what action her Department is taking to address an increase in attacks on places of worship. (AQO 740/22-27)

Naomi Long (Alliance, Belfast East)

I recognise very much the harm that attacks on places of worship can have on members and the wider community. I condemn the recent attacks at the Bangladesh Islamic Centre in Newtownards, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God at Templemore Street in east Belfast and the Church of the Holy Name at Greenisland and the recent threats to the Belfast Islamic Centre.

My Department works collaboratively with the policing and community safety partnerships (PCSPs) in addressing crime and fear of crime. PCSPs have a legislative duty to address crime, fear of crime and antisocial behaviour by working collaboratively and engaging with their local community. Specific crime prevention advice is also available from the PSNI. During the recent disorder, the Home Office extended its protection scheme for mosques in the UK, which are vulnerable to hate crime, to provide emergency support. The Home Office also supports the Community Security Trust to provide protection for synagogues across the UK. Protection schemes for places of worship in England and Wales are based solely on vulnerability to hate crime. However, to date, there has been insufficient evidence to show that such a scheme is needed in Northern Ireland. We will, of course, keep that under review.

Cheryl Brownlee (DUP, East Antrim)

I thank the Minister for her answer. She touched on the devastating fire that happened recently in Greenisland. What preventative measures are being implemented to educate young people on the dangers and legal consequences of arson?